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Home › Conditions › Surgical Site Infection

Surgical Site Infection

Part of Postoperative Complications

11 published articles · Updated continuously

Clinical Trial Landscape

Clinical Trials for Surgical Site Infection

41 trials tracked for Surgical Site Infection: 21 in phase 3 or 4 and 7 with published results. The most-cited published study has 215 citations.

41Trials tracked
21Phase 3 & 4
0Recruiting
7With published results
Phase distribution
Phase 4 9 Phase 3 12 Phase 2 4 Other / NA 16
  1. Phase 3 Single Dose vs. Two Dose Regimen of Dalbavancin for the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections Completed · 215 cited
  2. Phase 3 Vaginal Preparation With Chlorhexidine-alcohol vs. Povidine-iodine vs. Saline Completed · 65 cited
  3. Phase 4 Pre-operative Alcohol Skin Solutions in Fractured Extremities Completed · 64 cited
  4. Phase 4 Pre-operative Aqueous Antiseptic Skin Solutions in Open Fractures Completed · 37 cited
  5. Phase 3 Surgical Site Infections After Liver Transplantation Based on Perioperative Antibiotics Completed · 20 cited
  6. Phase 3 Chlorhexidine vs. Iodine for Vaginal Preparation in Urogynecologic Procedures Completed · 9 cited
Show 35 more trials
  1. Phase 3 Pharmacokinetics of Daptomycin During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery Completed · 8 cited
  2. Phase 4 Topical Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Eyelids Completed
  3. Phase 4 Bacterial Contamination: Iodine vs Saline Irrigation in Pediatric Spine Surgery Completed
  4. Phase 4 Pharmacokinetics of Preoperative Vancomycin Completed
  5. Phase 4 Nasal Decolonization for Orthopedic Trauma Patients Completed
  6. Phase 4 SURGX Antimicrobial Gel Versus Povidone-iodine Skin Incision Prep in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Completed
  7. Phase 4 Multicenter Infection Surveillance Study Following Open Heart Surgery Completed
  8. Phase 4 Prevention of Surgical Site Infections: Effectiveness of Nasal Povidone-Iodine and Nasal Mupirocin Completed
  9. Phase 3 Preoperative Skin Preparation Study to Evaluate the Antimicrobial Capabilities of Four Test Substances Completed
  10. Phase 3 Perioperative Patient Skin Antiseptic Preparation Evaluation Completed
  11. Phase 3 D-PLEX 311: Safety and Efficacy of D-PLEX in the Prevention of Post Abdominal Surgery Incisional Infection Completed
  12. Phase 3 Efficacy and Safety of Ertapenem Sodium (MK-0826) Following Colorectal Surgery in Chinese Adults (MK-0826-056) Completed
  13. Phase 3 Efficacy and Safety of Dalbavancin for the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections Completed
  14. Phase 3 Early Short-term Antibiotic Therapy in Penetrating Abdominal Trauma, 3 vs 7 Days Completed
  15. Phase 3 Efficacy and Safety of Dalbavancin for the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections Completed
  16. Phase 2 Effect of Exeporfinium Chloride (XF-73) Gel on Nasal S.Aureus in Patients at Risk of Post-op Staphylococcal Infection Completed
  17. Phase 2 Topical Treatment and Prevalence of P. Acnes Completed
  18. Phase 2 DFA-02 in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery Completed
  19. Phase 2 Continuous Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Colorectal Surgery Completed
  20. N/A The Effect of Tight Glycemic Control on Surgical Site Infection Rates in Patients Undergoing Open Heart Surgery Completed
  21. N/A Air Barrier System for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection Completed
  22. N/A Chlorhexidine-Alcohol Versus Povidone-Iodine for Cesarean Antisepsis Completed
  23. N/A Comparison Between Wound Vacuum Dressing and Standard Closure to Reduce Rates of Surgical Site Infections Completed
  24. N/A Prospective Clinical Evaluation of High-Purity Type I Collagen in Select High-Risk Hernia Repair Scenarios Completed
  25. N/A Effect of Standard Normothermia Protocol On Surgical Site Infections Completed
  26. N/A Prospective Study on Cesarean Wound Outcomes Completed
  27. N/A Effectiveness of Preoperative Surgical Scrubbing Using Clorhexidine Digluconate and Parachlorometaxylenol (ECP) Completed
  28. N/A Study of Effectiveness and Safety of Azithromycin-based Extended-spectrum Prophylaxis to Prevent Post Cesarean Infection Completed
  29. N/A Effect of Photodynamic Treatment on Skin Microbiome. Single Center Study Completed
  30. N/A Use of 2% Chlorhexidine Cloths Reduce Surgical Site Infections Completed
  31. N/A The Use of the Prevena™ Incision Management System on Post-Surgical Cesarean Section Incisions Completed
  32. N/A Checklist to Prevent MRSA Surgical Site Infections Completed
  33. N/A Prevena™ Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Re-operative Colorectal Surgery Completed
  34. N/A Benefit of a Single Preoperative Dose of Antibiotics for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections Completed
  35. N/A Effect of Photodynamic Therapy on Skin Microbiome. Single Center Study (PHOMIC-II) Completed

Showing the 41 most-cited and recently-updated of 41 trials. Browse the full registry →

Trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Counts describe the research landscape and are not a treatment recommendation. Informational only — not medical advice.

What the trials found Updated — new results For clinicians

Surgical Site Infection: what the trials found

Several antiseptic agents have been evaluated for surgical site management and prophylaxis. Povidone-iodine is established as a method for incisional preparation, showing a statistically significant reduction in the presence of bacteria within shoulder cultures compared to no preparation (p=0.0056) 5. Other utilized antiseptics include DuraPrep 3, 10% povidone-iodine in purified water 4, intranasal povidone-iodine 6, and chlorhexidine-alcohol 13.

Antibiotic interventions for surgical site management show varying results. A topical antibiotic product demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the number of participants with surgical site infections (p=0.025) compared to standard care, though no significant difference was found in wound dehiscence or allergic contact dermatitis 9. Mupirocin calcium ointment (2%) showed zero instances of surgical site infections within 12 months of procedure in a study cohort 11.

Systemic and targeted antibiotics were evaluated for clinical response. Dalbavancin demonstrated high clinical responder rates at 48-72 hours (81.4% vs 84.2%) and maintained favorable outcomes through the end of treatment [12, 20, 21]. Ertapenem sodium showed a success rate of over 90% for prophylaxis with favorable clinical responses in approximately 95-96% of participants 22. D-PLEX did not show a statistically significant difference in infection rates compared to standard of care (p=0.6219) 17.

Recent results — preliminary, needs further review

  • High-Purity Type I Collagen Mesh was associated with a reduction in postoperative VAS pain scores from 6.0 down to 2.9 1.
  • Mupirocin showed no statistically significant difference in the number of participants with superficial and deep/organ space MRSA infections within 90 days (p=0.13) 2.

For the clinician treating this condition

  • Povidone-iodine incisional preparation is associated with a statistically significant reduction in bacterial presence in shoulder cultures compared to no preparation.
  • Topical antibiotic products have demonstrated efficacy in reducing the incidence of surgical site infections.
  • Dalbavancin and ertapenem sodium show high rates of clinical success and favorable response in prophylaxis settings.

AI synthesis of 11 cited trials, updated Jun 27, 2026. Informational only — not medical advice; trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. How we use AI.

HCP Mode — summaries include clinical detail, trial data, and statistical outcomes.
Patient Mode — summaries use plain language, avoiding clinical jargon.
Intrawound vancomycin powder reduces postoperative infection risk (OR 0.59) in high-risk fracture fixation cases
Infectious Disease Meta-analysis
Intrawound vancomycin powder reduces postoperative infection risk (OR 0.59) in high-risk fracture fixation cases Vancomycin Powder May Reduce Infections After High Risk Fractures
This meta-analysis of 3185 patients found that intrawound vancomycin powder significantly reduced postoperative infection rates (OR 0.59; 95…
A review of data suggests that using vancomycin powder in wounds may lower infection rates for patients with serious bone fractures.
Jun 11, 2026
Nursing process-oriented bundled interventions and digital monitoring may improve surgical site infection prevention
Rheumatology Sys. Review
Nursing process-oriented bundled interventions and digital monitoring may improve surgical site infection prevention Nursing Pathways and Digital Tools Help Prevent Surgical Site Infections
This narrative review examines nursing-led strategies, including bundled interventions and digital tools like AI triage and remote wound mon…
A continuous nursing pathway using digital tools and risk-stratified care may help prevent infections after surgery.
Frontiers Jun 9, 2026
Meta-Analysis Shows No SSI Difference Between Chlorhexidine and Povidone Iodine for Vaginal Antisepsis
OB/GYN & Women's Health Meta-analysis
Meta-Analysis Shows No SSI Difference Between Chlorhexidine and Povidone Iodine for Vaginal Antisepsis Vaginal cleaning with chlorhexidine does not prevent infections better than iodine in major gynecologic surgeries
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated vaginal antisepsis in 9538 patients undergoing major gynecologic operations. The analysis…
A large review of nearly 10,000 patients found that using chlorhexidine for vaginal cleaning did not lower infection risk compared to iodine…
medRxiv May 28, 2026
Meta-analysis shows lower prosthetic joint infection odds with cephalosporins versus non-cephalosporin prophylaxis in primary arthroplasty
Infectious Disease Meta-analysis
Meta-analysis shows lower prosthetic joint infection odds with cephalosporins versus non-cephalosporin prophylaxis in primary arthroplasty Cephalosporins lower prosthetic joint infection risk in primary hip and knee replacements
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated single-agent cephalosporin prophylaxis against non-cephalosporin antibiotics in adults un…
A large review of over 200,000 surgeries found lower infection rates when using cephalosporins for prevention.
May 21, 2026
Intrawound tobramycin plus vancomycin did not reduce deep infection risk compared with vancomycin alone in high-risk tibial fractures
Infectious Disease RCT
Intrawound tobramycin plus vancomycin did not reduce deep infection risk compared with vancomycin alone in high-risk tibial fractures Adding Antibiotics to Bone Surgery Didn't Lower Infection Risk
This randomized clinical trial evaluated adults with operatively treated periarticular tibial fractures at elevated infection risk. Among 16…
A major trial found that adding a second antibiotic powder directly into bone fractures during surgery failed to lower infection rates compa…
JAMA May 12, 2026
Dual antibiotic-loaded bone cement reduces surgical site infection risk in cemented hip arthroplasty patients compared to single cement
Infectious Disease Meta-analysis
Dual antibiotic-loaded bone cement reduces surgical site infection risk in cemented hip arthroplasty patients compared to single cement Dual antibiotic cement cuts infection risk for hip surgery patients
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated dual antibiotic-loaded bone cement versus single antibiotic-loaded bone cement in patient…
A large analysis shows dual antibiotic-loaded bone cement significantly lowers surgical site infection risk compared to single antibiotic ve…
May 1, 2026
Meta-analysis: Postoperative oral antibiotics reduce cellulitis after cesarean in obese women
Diabetes & Endocrinology Meta-analysis
Meta-analysis: Postoperative oral antibiotics reduce cellulitis after cesarean in obese women Adding two antibiotics may lower cellulitis risk for obese women having C-sections
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 1144 obese women undergoing cesarean delivery found that adding postoperative oral cephalexin an…
A large review found adding oral cephalexin and metronidazole to standard care significantly reduced cellulitis in obese women after C-secti…
May 1, 2026
Diabetes and age increase surgical site infection risk in spinal surgery patients based on a multicenter cohort
Diabetes & Endocrinology Cohort
Diabetes and age increase surgical site infection risk in spinal surgery patients based on a multicenter cohort Researchers find diabetes and age raise infection risk after spinal surgery
This retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,049 patients who underwent spinal surgeries at multiple centers.
Spinal surgery patients with diabetes or older age face significantly higher risks of surgical site infections during recovery.
Frontiers Apr 29, 2026
CRP dynamics after surgery may help detect surgical site infections in single-center analysis
Infectious Disease Cohort
CRP dynamics after surgery may help detect surgical site infections in single-center analysis A Common Blood Test Can Catch Hidden Surgical Infections Days Earlier
A single-center retrospective cohort analysis of 127 surgical patients found that CRP level >106 mg/L on postoperative day 3 was associated …
A common inflammation blood test, taken on the third day after surgery, predicted hidden surgical site infections better than waiting for sy…
medRxiv Apr 13, 2026
Single Preoperative Antibiotic Dose vs Week-Long Postoperative Course for SSI Prevention in TE Breast Reconstruction
Infectious Disease RCT
Single Preoperative Antibiotic Dose vs Week-Long Postoperative Course for SSI Prevention in TE Breast Reconstruction Is one antibiotic dose enough to prevent infection after breast reconstruction?
A multi-institutional RCT of 214 women undergoing immediate tissue expander breast reconstruction compared a single preoperative antibiotic …
A single antibiotic dose before breast reconstruction led to a 17% infection rate, compared to 11% with a week of pills, but the study didn'…
Apr 9, 2026
Short-course antibiotics after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis show similar infection risk to long-course therapy
Infectious Disease Meta-analysis
Short-course antibiotics after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis show similar infection risk to long-course therapy Short-course antibiotics after complicated appendectomy show similar infection risk to longer courses
A meta-analysis of 3251 patients from 4 RCTs and 9 observational studies found short-course antibiotic therapy (<3 days) after appendectomy …
Shorter antibiotics after complicated appendectomy carry similar infection risks to longer courses while often shortening hospital stays.
Apr 2, 2026

Questions about Surgical Site Infection

Is one preoperative antibiotic dose enough to prevent surgical site infection in breast reconstruction?

A single preoperative antibiotic dose may not be enough; a 2024 trial found a 17% infection rate with one dose vs 11% with a week of postoperative antibiotics, though the difference was not statistically significant.

Full answer →
Can a high CRP level on day 3 help detect a surgical site infection after surgery?

Yes, a high CRP level on day 3 after surgery can help detect a surgical site infection, with one study finding a threshold of >106 mg/L strongly associated with infection risk.

Full answer →
Do diabetes and older age make spinal surgery patients more likely to get a surgical site infection?

Yes, both diabetes and older age significantly increase the risk of surgical site infection after spinal surgery, according to multiple studies.

Full answer →
Does using dual antibiotic cement lower surgical site infection risk in hip replacements?

Yes, dual antibiotic cement lowers surgical site infection risk in hip replacements, especially hemiarthroplasty, based on large meta-analyses.

Full answer →