The CDC's surgical wound classification system might be inadequate for orthopedic surgery, according to a Mayo Clinic study published Dec. 15 in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic facility in Jacksonville, Fla., distributed questionnaires to 39 orthopedic surgeons at their institution. They found that only 15 percent said the current system, which was introduced in the 1960s, adequately covers orthopedic procedures.
Agreement between the surgeons on a given wound's classification was poor, at 66 percent, researchers found.
"Alternate definitions are needed to improve the validity of the system for subspecialty procedures," the study said.