Contact dermatitis due to use of Octenisept in  wound care.
BACKGROUND
Octenisept, containing 0.1 % octenidine/2 % phenoxyethanol, is a widely used antiseptic in modern wound management. It is considered to have a very low allergenic potential. Thus far, neither allergic nor irritant contact dermatitis to the product has been described.


METHODS
Chronic wounds in 251 patients were treated with Octenisept; 11 developed signs of contact dermatitis. The symptoms improved after discontinuation of the antiseptic. Eight of these patients were patch tested to the antiseptic and its components.


RESULTS
The eight patients all showed a positive reaction to the product. In at least three cases a reaction to the components cocamidopropyl betaine and phenoxyethanol was found, but not to octenidine dihydrochloride.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort, more than three percent of the treated patients developed a contact dermatitis to the antiseptic. However, the differentiation between allergic and irritant contact dermatitis towards the ingredients of the antiseptic remains problematic.
Calow
Trevis
T
Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
Oberle
Kristina
K
Bruckner-Tuderman
Leena
L
Jakob
Thilo
T
Schumann
Hauke
H
D000287:Administration, Topical; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007097:Imines; D011725:Pyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D007097:Imines; D011725:Pyridines; C034213:octenidine