Topical antiseptics in addition to peroperative antibiotics in preventing post-appendicectomy wound infections.

The effect of using topical povidone-iodine spray in addition to a single dose of intravenous metronidazole was studied in a clinical trial involving 200 patients undergoing appendicectomy. Despite the metronidazole, patients with perforated or gangrenous appendices still had an unacceptably high rate of wound infection. Overall, no benefit resulted from the addition of the povidone-iodine spray. Sub-dividing the patients according to the macroscopic state of the appendix, the degree of bacterial contamination of the operative wound or the depth of subcutaneous fat also failed to reveal any advantage gained by using the antiseptic.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes