OBJECTIVE To explore the effectiveness of preoperative disinfection bathing intervention with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in preventing surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing craniocerebral tumorectomy and to identify the risk factors for SSI in craniocerebral tumorectomy.

METHODS Patients who underwent craniocerebral tumorectomy in the department of neurosurgery at the Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from Jul. 2021 to Dec. 2023 were selected as the study subjects. A randomized controlled study design was adopted, and the included patients were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group, with 180 cases in each group, based on the random number table method. The study explored whether bathing with a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate cleaning and disinfecting solution after surgical skin preparation could reduce the incidence of SSI. Clinical data, including basic patient information, perioperative antibacterial drug use, surgical information, postoperative conditions and SSI status, were collected for statistical description. The chi-square test and logistic regression model were used to analyze the risk factors for SSI.

RESULTS The incidence of SSI after craniocerebral tumorectomy in the intervention group was 6.11% (11/180), while that in the control group was 17.22% (31/180), with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that prolonged surgical duration (>335 min) (OR=5.612, 95% CI: 2.623-12.009, P < 0.001) and a history of craniocerebral operation (OR=3.554, 95% CI: 1.029-12.277, P=0.045) were risk factors for SSI, whereas preoperative disinfection bathing with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (OR=0.229, 95% CI: 0.104-0.501, P < 0.001) was a protective factor against SSI.

CONCLUSION Preoperative disinfection bathing intervention with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate can reduce the incidence of SSI in patients undergoing craniocerebral tumorectomy, while prolonged surgical duration (> 335 min) and a history of craniocerebral operation will increase the risk of SSI.