Use of an impervious wound edge protector decreased postoperative wound infection

(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; . : . . . [OpenUrl][1] QUESTION: In patients having abdominal surgery, does the use of an impervious wound edge protector reduce postoperative wound infections? Randomised {allocation concealed*},† blinded (outcome assessor),* controlled trial with 30 day follow up. Cork, Ireland. 352 patients (56% women) who were having transabdominal surgery for gastrointestinal disease. Follow up was complete. 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 … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLancet%26rft.volume%253D353%26rft.spage%253D1585%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx