title: Safety and tolerability of chlorhexidine gluconate (2%) as a vaginal operative preparation in patients undergoing gynecologic surgery.
abstract: The use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) as an intraoperative vaginal preparation has been shown to be more effective than vaginal povidone-iodine (PI) in decreasing vaginal bacterial colony counts. However, PI remains the standard vaginal preparation because of concerns of CHG's potential for vaginal irritation. The primary outcome of this study is a comparison of the rate of patient-reported vaginal irritation between 2% CHG and PI.
  
  
  
  Consecutive patients were enrolled in a pre-post study. Group 1 consisted of consecutive patients who received PI as a vaginal preparation. Group 2 consisted of consecutive patients who received 2% CHG as a vaginal preparation. Patients used a standardized instrument to report irritation to trained nurse practitioners 1 day after surgery.
  
  
  
  A total of 117 patients received vaginal operative preparation during the course of the study, with 64 patients in group 1 and 53 patients in group 2. Of the patients in group 1, 60 (93.7%) reported no vaginal irritation, 3 (4.69%) reported mild irritation, and 1 (1.56%) reported moderate irritation. In group 2 (2% CHG vaginal preparation), all of the patients (100%) reported no vaginal irritation (P = .38).
  
  
  
  The use of 2% CHG as a vaginal operative preparation is not associated with increased vaginal irritation compared with PI in gynecologic surgery. It can safely be used, taking advantage of its efficacy in reducing vaginal bacterial colony counts.
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Niaimi
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Laurel W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Universtity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Uppal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shitanshu
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garvens
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zerbel
authors.affiliation: School and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Medical, Madison, WI; William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI. Electronic address: ns2@medicine.wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Nasia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Safdar
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine
keywords: Gynecologic surgery; chlorhexidine 2%; patient safety; vaginal irritation