Shaveless brain surgery: Safe, well tolerated, and cost effective

Neurosurgeons perform operations every day, many of which involve the scalp . There is evidence supporting similar or decreased wound infection rates i n the unshaven scalp. Patients with standard scalp incisions were assigned to either shave or shave-less preparations (n = 20). The timing of preparat ion and skin closure was recorded for both groups as were infectious compli cations. All of the patients have been followed for an average months. Ther e were no cases of infection. The timing of scalp preparation and closure w as not significantly different between the two groups (P < .05). We have pr eviously suggested that shaving the scalp is not a critical step in the pre vention of infection. We confirm that the timing of this technique is not p rolonged over that of standard preparations.