Ultraclean air for prevention of postoperative infection after posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation: a comparison between surgeries performed with and without a vertical exponential filtered air-flow system.

Study Design: This study retrospectively compared infection rates between adult patients after posterior spinal instrumentation procedures performed in a conventional versus an ultraclean air operating room.

Objective: To evaluate if the use of ultraclean air technology could decrease the infection rate after posterior spinal arthrodesis with instrumentation.

Summary Of Background Data: Postoperative wound infection after posterior arthrodesis remains a feared complication in spinal surgery.