Which approach did Lister promote for surgical practices?

Lister promoted sterile surgery as a fundamental approach to surgical practices. His work in the late 19th century with antiseptic techniques fundamentally altered the landscape of surgery. Lister advocated for the use of carbolic acid (phenol) to sterilize surgical instruments and cleanse the surgical site, which significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative infections. This emphasis on sterility laid the foundation for modern infection control and set the standard for surgical practices.

While he certainly acknowledged the importance of hand hygiene—routine hand washing is indeed essential in preventing infections—Lister's central contribution was the establishment of a sterile environment during surgery. His pioneering efforts demonstrated that surgery could be performed with a substantially lowered infection rate when sterile techniques were applied, revolutionizing surgical procedures and patient outcomes.