[Efficacy of topical povidone-iodine applied the day before cataract surgery to reduce conjunctival flora].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the topical use of periocular and conjunctival povidone-iodine solution applied the day before cataract surgery to reduce conjunctival flora. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Randomized and prospective clinical trial with 82 patients. The treatment group (41 patients) received an application of topical 10% povidone-iodine solution on the periocular skin and instillation of topical 5% povidone-iodine solution on the forniceal conjunctiva the day before and one hour before surgery. The control group (41 patients) only received the usual perioperative disinfectant. Conjunctival smears were obtained from in all patients at the end of the surgery and these were sent to the Microbiology Laboratory for culture.
RESULTS: In the treatment group 1 positive culture was found in the 41 eyes (2.4%). In the control group, there were positive cultures in 6 out of 41 eyes (14.6%). The difference is statistically significant (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The disinfecting of the periocular skin with 10% povidone-iodine solution and of the conjunctiva with 5% povidone-iodine solution the day before and one hour before cataract surgery is effective in reducing conjunctival bacterial colonization compared with perioperative disinfection alone.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes