The Wadsworth Center Bacteriology Laboratory is collaborating with Albany Medical College on a study evaluating whether the use of electrocautery, rather than a traditional scalpel, for skin incisions can reduce surgical site infections in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. The study will assess both superficial and deep bacterial cultures to determine differences in bacterial contamination associated with the two surgical techniques.
Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) is the most common pathogen associated with prosthetic joint infection following shoulder arthroplasty. As a normal skin commensal, this bacterium typically enters the surgical site through skin incisions made during the procedure. Standard surgical practice involves creating the initial skin incision with a scalpel, followed by deeper tissue dissection using electrocautery. Emerging evidence suggests that using electrocautery for the initial skin incision may reduce infection risk by increasing local tissue temperature at the skin surface, where C. acnes is most prevalent, thereby decreasing bacterial burden and subsequent wound complications.
As part of the study, three swab samples will be collected from each patient, and all specimens will be cultured and analyzed in the Wadsworth Center Bacteriology Laboratory. The results of this study will help determine whether an alternative surgical approach can reduce bacterial infections and improve postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty, ultimately benefiting New York State residents.