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that examined microbial kills)? Or second, which prep is more able to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections (in studies that tracked post-op outcomes)?
It's also important to acknowledge that the CDC knows best. In the evidence-based SSI prevention guidelines its Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee issued in 1999 (tinyurl.com/ocxokoo), it notes that "no studies have adequately assessed the comparative effects of these pre-operative skin antiseptics on SSI risk in well-controlled, operation-specific studies." Indeed, taken in the overview, the studies we reviewed didn't provide an apples-to-apples comparison across the board, either in the type of prep used or the anatomy and procedure for which they were used.
Even though they weren't unified in their focus, the range of studies we reviewed seemed to point in a similar direction, suggesting the antimicrobial and SSI-preventing effectiveness of chlorhexidine gluconate before several types of surgeries.
Research results
We compiled the studies' findings into a poster which we presented at AORN's annual conference in March. You can read the citations for the studies referenced below at outpatientsurgery.net/forms.
Regarding antimicrobial efficacy:
• On the abdomen and groin areas, a 2% CHG, 70% isopropyl alcohol prep and another CHG-and-alcohol combination provided the best microbial kill when compared to 2% or 4% CHG alone, 70% isopropyl alcohol alone, 10% povidone-iodine and an iodine-containing solution.2, 3, 4
• In foot and ankle surgeries, a 4% CHG scrub followed by a 70% isopropyl alcohol paint delivered better antimicrobial effects than 7% and 10% povidone-iodine solutions5, while a 2% CHG, 70% isopropyl alco-
