Preoperative Skin Antisepsis for Abdominal Hysterectomy: Which Agent Works Best?

Chlorhexidine-alcohol was associated with lower rates of surgical site infection than was povidone-iodine.

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major cause of postoperative readmission. To assess the efficacy of topical chlorhexidine-alcohol (CA) compared with povidone-iodine (PI) for preventing SSI after hysterectomy, investigators in Michigan conducted a retrospective study involving 4259 women who underwent abdominal hysterectomy for benign indications. CA was used in 70% of surgeries, and PI was used in 30%.

Rates of SSI were 2.6% with CA and 3.6% with PI (P=0.09). In analysis adjusted for factors such as estimated blood loss, surgical time, and severity of adhesions, the odds ratio of developing SSI was 0.56 in the CA group versus the PI group (P=0.01). In a propensity-matched analysis, SSI rates in the CA and PI groups were 1.5% and 4.7%, res…

Reviewing Author

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Preoperative Skin Antisepsis for Abdominal Hysterectomy: Which Agent Works Best?

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Reviewing Author