Early Versus Delayed Bathing of Orthopaedic Surgical Wounds

This is a single center randomized control trial assessing the effect of early versus delayed bathing on orthopaedic surgical wounds in patients undergoing surgical treatment of fractures. Patients will be recruited by screening all patients undergoing surgical treatment for fractures at our institution. Patients who provide written consent will be randomized to one of two treatment arms after confirming eligibility criteria. Group A will be advised to begin early normal bathing (non-submerged showering) with uncovered surgical wounds. Group B will be advised to follow traditional delayed bathing with covered wounds. Those who do not wish to participate in the randomized trial will be invited to participate observationally (no randomization) and have the same prospective follow-up.