Surgical site infection remains a preeminent focus of perioperative care given its huge potential to impact outcomes, length of stay, and mortality. Numerous governmental and regulatory bodies have developed recommendations to limit the incidence of surgical site infection. These recommendations continue to evolve at a rapid pace, with all aspects of perioperative care sharing ongoing scrutiny. Implementation of these strategies should remain the focus of all providers to limit the incidence of postoperative infections and optimize outcomes. This review contains 4 figures, 14 tables, and 109 references. Key words: antibiotic, complication, infection, preoperative, preparation, postoperative, scrub, surgical site infection