Table 1: Shave or not to shave.
References Design Type of Participant Sample & Size Outcome measures Result Remarks
1 Menendezet al. (2004) RCT Endoscopic urological surgery N=127
Excluded=37
shaved:45
notshaved: 45		 Urinary infection
  • No significant difference in development ofinfection.
  • 10 patients had positive results in urinary cultures.
  • 5 non-shaved and 5 shaved.
  • Study concluded that hair removal before surgery should not be done.
  • Disposable razor was used for shaving patients.
  • Patients were followed for one month.
  • Standard protocol of all patients.
2 Maksimvic et al. (2008) Cohort study Orthopaedic surgery N=157
Excluded=37
shaved:49
notshaved:45		 SSI
  • Nosignificantdifferences.
  • Developinfection:
    Clipper16.6%(13/78)
    Shaved19.2%(15/78)
  • Patients were interviewed by telephone.
  • Self-assessment by the patient and may not be reliable.
3 Celik and Kara (2007) RCT Spinal surgery N=789
Excluded=47
shaved:371
notshaved:418		 Infection rate
  • The infection rate in both groups was statistically significant (P=<0.01) and findings strongly suggested an association between pre-operative shaving and the infection rate.
  • The author strongly recommended pre-operative shaving as unnecessary.
  • Disposable razor was used for shaving patients.
  • Double blind prospective study.
  • Study duration from 2000 to 2004.
4 Suvera et al. (2013) RCT General surgery patients N=215
Razor: 112
Depilation cream: 103		 Infection rate
  • 18 patients developinfection:
    Razor= 15
    Depilation cream= 3
  • Only general surgery patients were included in the study.
5 Kattipattanapong et al. (2012) RCT Ear surgery N=136
shaved:66
notshaved:70		 SSI
  • No significant difference between the groups.
  • 5 patients had SSIs, 3 in shaved group, and 2 in not shaved group.
  • The type of randomisation was mentioned Block system.
  • The ethical approval mentioned.
  • The other variable was controlled by using CDC protocol.
6 Adisaet al. (2011) RCT General Surgery N=165
Razor: 86
Depilation cream: 79		 SSI
  • 13 developed SSIs: only 2 in depilation cream group, and 11 in razor group.
  • Significant difference was found between shaving by razor and SSIs.