evaluation of surgical site marking protocols in pelvic and knee procedures: a retrospective analysis in an orthopedic clinic

Introduction: the fundamental principle of first, do no harm underscores the importance of safety in healthcare, particularly in surgical settings where preventable errors may occur. the world health organization’s concept of safe surgery emphasizes accurate surgical site marking to reduce such risks. healthcare workers’ awareness of this practice plays a vital role in ensuring patient safety. this study evaluates the prevalence and compliance of surgical site marking in an orthopedic clinic. materials and methods: this retrospective study reviewed patient records from the hospital information management system of a university hospital’s orthopedic clinic. it focused on pelvic and knee surgeries performed between january and march 2022. out of 106 patients, 2 were excluded due to inaccessible surgical site marking forms, resulting in a final sample of 104 patients. results: the mean age of patients was 54.4 years; 55.8% were female. among the surgeries, 65.4% were elective, and 54.8% lacked surgical site marking. a significant association was found between the type of surgery (emergency vs. elective) and the presence of surgical site marking (p<0.05). furthermore, surgical site marking status was significantly related to average hospital stay duration (p<0.05). conclusion: despite its critical role in patient safety, surgical site marking was often overlooked, especially in emergency surgeries. the findings highlight the need for improved compliance in orthopedic practices. educational interventions, particularly those supported by artificial intelligence, are recommended to increase awareness and implementation of surgical site marking protocols.