Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common problem and a significant cause of morbidity in surgical patients. They present a substantial burden to the health care system in the United States and contribute more than 1.6 billion dollars in excess cost and 1 million in extra hospital days in affected patients. SSIs are associated with a multitude of complications including an increased risk of incisional hernia and prolonged hospital stay. Despite optimum surgical care there remains an inability to significantly reduce SSI rates following colorectal surgery and this field represents a critical priority for study. When one examines the control arms of recent high quality randomized controlled trials, the SSI rate following colorectal surgery ranges from 22.0-26.1%, emphasizing the prevalence of this complication.