Pre-operative Aqueous Antiseptic Skin Solutions in Open Fractures

Study Summary

The prevention of infection is the single most important goal influencing peri-operative care of patients with open fractures. Standard practice in the management of open fractures includes sterile technique and pre-operative skin preparation with an antiseptic solution. The available solutions kill bacteria and decrease the quantity of native skin flora, thereby decreasing surgical site infection (SSI). While there is extensive guidance on specific procedures for prophylactic antibiotic use and standards for sterile technique, the evidence regarding the choice of antiseptic skin preparation solution is very limited for open fracture surgery.

Primary Outcome

Guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network reporting criteria (2017): Date of event for infection may occur from the date of fracture to 30 days after the definitive fracture management surgery; AND involves only skin and subcutaneous tissue of the incision; AND patient has at least one of the following: 1. purulent drainage from the superficial incision. 2. organisms identified from an aseptically obtained specimen from the superficial in

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• DRUG 10% povidone-iodine (1% free iodine) in purified water
• DRUG 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) in purified water

Study Locations (15)