What is the main goal of surgical hand antisepsis?

The main goal of surgical hand antisepsis is to reduce the chance for contamination of the patient. This procedure involves thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the hands and forearms of the surgical team to eliminate transient microorganisms and significantly reduce the risk of infection during surgical procedures.

By practicing surgical hand antisepsis, the surgical staff minimizes the likelihood of introducing pathogens to the sterile field or to the patient’s surgical site, thereby enhancing patient safety and outcomes. This practice is critical in operating room settings where maintaining a sterile environment is essential to prevent surgical site infections.

Maintaining personal hygiene for the surgeon, increasing the speed of the procedure, and preparing surgical instruments are secondary considerations and do not encompass the primary objective of hand antisepsis, which is distinctly aimed at infection control and the protection of the patient.