Pocket contamination remains a critical driver of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections, especially during repeat procedures where scarred tissue and prior exposure elevate risk. In this prospective, randomized clinical trial of 418 patients, iodine-impregnated adhesive drapes cut end-of-procedure pocket-swab positivity by 50% compared with no drape use. Importantly, no infections occurred in the drape group, while the control arm documented 1.9% adjudicated infections (P = .02).
These findings highlight a simple, cost-effective, and scalable intraoperative strategy to mitigate one of the most feared complications of device therapy. Could iodine-impregnated drapes become the new standard for repeat CIED implantation? [Read the full trial in JAMA Cardiology] Given the persistent burden of device infections and the high cost of managing them, should intraoperative…
