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Therapeutics
Use of an impervious wound edge protector decreased postoperative wound infection

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.5.2.58

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    (1999) Lancet 353, 1585. Sookhai S, Redmond HP, Deasy JM.. Impervious wound-edge protector to reduce postoperative wound infection: a randomised, controlled trial. [Letter]. . May 8;. :. ..
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 QUESTION: In patients having abdominal surgery, does the use of an impervious wound edge protector reduce postoperative wound infections?

    Design

    Randomised {allocation concealed*},† blinded (outcome assessor),* controlled trial with 30 day follow up.

    Setting

    Cork, Ireland.

    Patients

    352 patients (56% women) who were having transabdominal surgery for gastrointestinal disease. Follow up was complete.

    Intervention

    All patients received systemic antibiotic prophylaxis and povidone iodine skin preparation and were allocated either to an impervious wound edge protector (n=170) or to no wound edge protector (n=182). The protector was an impermeable plastic drape attached to the abdomen with adhesive patches. A hole in the middle of the protector ringed by semirigid plastic protected the abdominal wound edge from …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: in part, 3M Healthcare.

    • For correspondence: Dr H P Redmond, Department of Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, and Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Fax +353 21 344230.

    • ↵* See glossary.

    • ↵† Information supplied by author.

    • ↵‡ p Values calculated from data in article.