Comparison Between Chlorhexidine Gluconate and Povidone Iodine in Preventing Surgical Site Infection in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Surgical site infection is one of the major postoperative complication
resulting in an increase in both morbidity and mortality of the patient. Preoperative patients body surface
preparation is one of the major factors in preventing surgical site infection. In this study we compared
povidone iodine usually used disinfectant with chlorhexidine gluconate for surgical site infection
Methods: It was a randomized control trial conducted at General Surgery ward Gulab Devi Hospital Lahore
from January 2021 to December 2022. A total of 200 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were
included in this study through purposive sampling and then divided into two groups using lottery methods. In
Group A peroperative patients skin preparation was done with 10% povidone iodine while in Group B 4%
chlorhexidine gluconate was used for skin preparation. Patients with empyema gall bladder, gall bladder or
gut perforation and laparoscopic procedures converted to open were excluded from this study.
Results: In this study mean age 0f45.8 + 10.3 years with range from 25 to 65 years. In Group A mean age was
45.7+10.8 years while in group B it was 45.8 + 9.8 years. In Group A 12% wound infection was documented
while in Group B it was only 4% (P-value 0.03).
Conclusion: Chlorhexidine gluconate solution showed less surgical site infection which implies that
chlorhexidine gluconate solution can be safely replaced with povidone iodine solution for skin preparation.