title: The effect of chlorhexidine irrigation on tensile wound strength.
abstract: Chlorhexidine in an alcohol vehicle with flavoring agents has been used as a mouthrinse to reduce plaque accumulation in periodontal surgery patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinse on the early tensile wound strength of healing surgical wounds in the rat. Standardized transdermal incisions were made on each lateral abdominal wall of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats. Wounds were irrigated with 10 ml of 0.12% chlorhexidine or 10 ml of normal saline prior to closure. Animals were sacrificed at 48 hours and 96 hours, and the wound area was excised by a standardized protocol. Wound strength was measured using constant speed tensiometry to determine the tensile strength of the healing incision. Results revealed a significantly reduced tensile wound strength at 48 hours for the chlorhexidine-treated group (127 +/- 18.5 gm) compared to the saline irrigation group (150 +/- 32.3 gm) (P < 0.001). However, by 96 hours a significantly increased tensile wound strength was demonstrated by the chlorhexidine treated group (202.1 +/- 21.7 gm) compared to the saline irrigation group (183.2 +/- 37.3 gm) (P < 0.05). These data suggest that chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinse irrigation of wounds produced a reduced early tensile wound strength, but ultimately resulted in shorter healing time.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Dental Activity, Fort Gordon, GA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shahan
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Dirksen
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Van Dyke
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McPherson
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009067:Mouthwashes; D002710:Chlorhexidine