Reduction of Postoperative Wound Infections by Antiseptica?

Experimental arm: irrigation of subcutaneous tissue after fascia closure with polihexanide (ten minutes). A single dose of perioperative antibiotics (cefuroxim alone or cefuroxim and metrodidazole in bowel surgeries) was given 30 minutes before skin incision. Hair removal was done with electronic clippers and preoperative skin antisepsis was performed with propanol and povidone-iodine. Before closure of fascia, instruments and gloves were changed. No subcutaneous suture was used. Skin was closed either with skin staples, continuous intracutaneous suture or interrupted suture. All surgeries were done according to the Standard Operating Procedures of the Department for General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin.

Control arm: irrigation of subcutaneous tissue after fascia closure with NaCl (one minute) A single dose of perioperative antibiotics (cefuroxim alone or cefuroxim and metrodidazole in bowel surgeries) was given 30 minutes before skin incision. Hair removal was done with electronic clippers and preoperative skin antisepsis was performed with propanol and povidone-iodine. All surgeries were done according to the Standard Operating Procedures of the Department for General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin. Before closure of fascia, instruments and gloves were changed. No subcutaneous suture was used. Skin was closed either with skin staples, continuous intracutaneous suture or interrupted suture. All surgeries were done according to the Standard Operating Procedures of the Department for General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin.