Efficacy of Mechanical versus Non-Mechanical Sterile Preoperative Skin Preparation With Chlorhexidine Gluconate 4% Solution.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of sterile preoperative skin antisepsis using either a 5-minute mechanical preparation or 5-minute non-mechanical preparation with chlorhexidine gluconate 4% solution.


METHODS
Matched design, ANOVA.


METHODS
Healthy adult Thoroughbred horses (n = 30).


METHODS
Each horse had both surgical preparation methods randomly assigned to identical sites on the left or right upper thigh. Prepared sites were sampled and cultured for bacteria after each preparation step.


RESULTS
Mechanical and non-mechanical preparation techniques significantly reduced bacteria isolated from surface swab samples compared with samples taken from unprepared skin and after the preliminary rough prepared skin (P < 0.05). No difference in the number of skin-associated bacteria was detected between the mechanical and non-mechanical sterile preoperative preparation techniques (P = 0.77). Ten species of bacteria were identified by 16s PCR after final skin preparation.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-surgical skin preparation without repeated mechanical scrubbing using chlorhexidine gluconate 4% solution (total contact time, 225 seconds) is effective in reducing bacterial counts.
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Benjamin I
BI
Davids
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Megan J
MJ
Davidson
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Saundra H
SH
TenBroeck
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Patrick T
PT
Colahan
Department of Microbiology and Cell Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Monika W
MW
Oli
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000985:Antisepsis; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine