Medicine: Surgery Without a Shave

Brain surgery can be performed on women without the need for head shaving, George Washington University's Dr. Jonathan M. Williams told the International College of Surgeons in Chicago last week. Before surgery, hair is shampooed repeatedly with a surgical detergent enriched with hexachlorophene to sterilize the scalp. The hair is combed carefully away from the place of incision, made to lie flat and remain securely in place by spraying with a non-lacquer wave-set compound. The operation is performed in the normal manner, but surgeons need expose less than three-quarters of an inch of scalp in making the incision. Dr. Williams notes that many women become depressed after having their heads shaved, feels the new technique will help diminish anxiety over brain surgery. So far Dr. Williams has used the hair-saving method in 20 operations without a single infection.