The effect of topical povidone-iodine on the incidence of infection in surgical wounds

A randomized stratified clinical trial of topical povidone-iodine in 627 patients undergoing abdominal procedures demonstrated a reduction in postoperative wound sepsis in female patients, in patients receiving subcutaneous low dose heparin and during the first quarter of the trial when the infection rate in control subjects was high. Overall, there was no significant reduction in wound sepsis after administration of povidone-iodine due mainly to a high infection rate in povidone-iodine treated male appendix operations where, by chance, there was an increased incidence of contamination with Bacteroides fragilis. Postoperative stay in those developing wound infection was significantly reduced in the povidone-iodine group. This is considered as indirect evidence for a decrease in severity of wound infection.