I belive that postoperative immobilisation of the wound is the greatest single factor in preventing postoperative sepsis. I use it for many soft tissue operations, such as "tennis elbow", de Quervain's Disease, trigger thumb, tendon transfers, as well as all operations during which a joint is opened, such as excision of the head of the radius, removal of loose bodies, etc. I have never known any patient come to any harm from the consistent use of postoperative immobilisation and, really, the good is impossible to calculate.