The effect of topical povidone iodine on wound infection following abdominal surgery

Abstract

Summary The effect of povidone iodine on wound sepsis following gastrointestinal surgery was studied in a trial involving 153 patients of whom 72 had their wounds sprayed with povidone iodine dry powder (Disadine DP) and 81 acted as a control group. The infection rate of 9·9 per cent in the patients treated with povidone iodine was significantly lower than that of 24·4 per cent in the control group (P<0·05). Bacterial contamination of the wound at the time of operation was shown to be of importance, being associated with a 52 per cent infection rate in the control group. However, spraying of contaminated wounds with povidone iodine reduced the infection rate to the significantly lower level of 11 per cent (P<0·05). We conclude that povidone iodine is a safe and effective means of reducing wound sepsis following gastrointestinal surgery.