A STUDY ON CLINICAL EVALUATION OF PREOPERATIVE SKIN PREPARATION WITH AQUEOUS POVIDONE IODINE ONLY AND IN COMBINATION WITH ALCOHOLIC CHLORHEXIDINE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CLEAN ELECTIVE SURGERIES

Dr N.Mallikarjuna; Dr Syed Mutahhar Nabeel; Dr Vineeth B.N; Dr. Kusumanjali; Dr M. Praveen Kumar

Volume : X, Issue : VI, June - 2020

A STUDY ON CLINICAL EVALUATION OF PREOPERATIVE SKIN PREPARATION WITH AQUEOUS POVIDONE IODINE ONLY AND IN COMBINATION WITH ALCOHOLIC CHLORHEXIDINE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CLEAN ELECTIVE SURGERIES

Dr N. Mallikarjuna, Dr Syed Mutahhar Nabeel, Dr Vineeth B. N, Dr. Kusumanjali, Dr M. Praveen Kumar

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: It is an established fact now that the normal skin of healthy human beings harbors a rich bacterial flora. Normally considered non–pathogenic, these organisms may be a potential source of infection of the surgical wound. Approximately 20% of the resident flora are beyond the reach of surgical scrubs and antiseptics. The goal of surgical preparation of the skin with antiseptics is to remove transient and pathogenic microorganisms on the skin surface and to reduce the resident flora to a low level. Povidone iodine (Iodophors) and chlorhexidine are most often used antiseptics for pre–operative skin preparation. Most Surgical site infections are caused by skin flora inoculated into the incision during surgery; therefore, the most common SSI pathogens are all gram–positive cocci—Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, and Enterococcus spp. For infra–inguinal incisions and intracavitary surgery, gram–negative bacilli such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. are potential pathogens. When surgery is performed on the pharynx, lower gastrointestinal tract, or female genital tract, anaerobic bacteria become potential Surgical site infection pathogens.