Making your mark again in surgery.

Accurate, durable pre-operative skin marking that withstands the necessary vigorous surgical skin preparation on the theatre table minimises confusion and the risk of mistakes occurring perioperatively, as well as assisting the surgeon with the technicalities of required skin incisions. Felt-tipped marker pens vary widely in achieving these objectives. A selection of markers, including a number used by junior surgical staff on the wards, was investigated.