Which statement best describes the steps to maintain a sterile field during arthroplasty?

• A. Preoperative sterilization and scrub, sterile draping, proper gowning/gloving, sterile instrument handling, minimize field contamination, and maintain a clearly defined sterile boundary
• B. Draping, gowning, gloving, instrument handling, and boundary maintenance
• C. Sterile technique is optional if antibiotics are given
• D. Gowning alone is sufficient to maintain sterility

Answer: (B)

Maintaining a sterile field during arthroplasty centers on preventing contamination through barriers and careful handling throughout the procedure. The key actions are establishing and preserving the sterile area by draping to create the field, gowning and gloving to maintain the sterile barrier around the team, and handling instruments in a sterile manner to keep all tools uncontaminated as they move in and out of the field. Keeping a clearly defined boundary and vigilantly preventing breaches is essential to stop nonsterile contact from reaching the sterile area. Preoperative sterilization and scrub set up the field but occur before the intraoperative maintenance begins; antibiotics do not replace sterile technique, and gowning alone cannot maintain sterility without proper draping, gloving, and instrument handling. Therefore, draping, gowning, gloving, instrument handling, and boundary maintenance best describe maintaining the sterile field during arthroplasty.