RT Journal
A1 Marsh, J. Lawrence
T1 Reaching Optimal Clarity on Surgical Site MarkingCommentary on an article by Savyasachi C. Thakkar, MD, and Simon C. Mears, MD, PhD: “Visibility of Surgical Site Marking: A Prospective Randomized Trial of Two Skin Preparation Solutions”
JF The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
JO The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
YR 2012
FD January 18
VO 94
IS 2
SP e10 1
OP 1
DO 10.2106/JBJS.K.01292
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.K.01292
AB 
This straightforward and interesting study draws attention to a potential safety issue with the mandated sign-the-site program of the Universal Protocol by demonstrating that there are differences in the potential for erasure of surgical site markings between two common types of skin preparations. The study was well designed to answer the question posed. Three different assessments of surgical site erasure served as outcomes, all of which showed significant differences between the two types of preparation. The authors concluded that the chlorhexidine-based preparation resulted in considerably more erasure of the surgical site marking than the iodine-based preparation.