title: Wound sterilization: CO2 laser versus iodine.
abstract: Control of infection in a surgical wound remains a challenge, especially if further surgery in the area is needed. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of sterilization of a standard experimental infected wound by surgical skin preparation (Betadine) as compared to treatment with the CO2 laser. Standard wounds (5 x 6 cm) were created superficial to the panniculus carnosus on each flank of 37 adult male New Zealand rabbits. Each wound was infected with a standard dose of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All wounds became grossly infected. On the third day one flank wound was treated with the CO2 laser, the other with the Betadine solution, and a punch biopsy (4 mm) was taken from each wound for quantitative bacterial counts. Less than 10% of the laser-treated wounds grew Pseudomonas, whereas nearly 40% of the iodine-treated wounds remained infected (P less than 0.005). Our early clinical experience using the CO2 laser for the sterilization of infected wounds is also reported.
authors.affiliation: Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: al-Qattan
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stranc
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jarmuske
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hoban
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D007455:Iodine