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Research

Intracavity lavage and wound irrigation for prevention of surgical site infection

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. · added Oct 2026

Publication
Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
Date
2017-10-30
Type
journal article, antiseptic, wound care
Keywords
1. Wound irrigation 2. Surgical site infection 3. Superoxidized water 4. Dermacyn 5. Povidone-iodine
Practices
Non-toxic disinfection
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Summary

A Cochrane review of 59 trials found low-certainty evidence that antibacterial irrigation lowers surgical site infections, and in one 190-person trial povidone-iodine had nearly three times the infection risk of superoxidized water (Dermacyn).

Key points

  • 59 randomized trials with 14,738 participants were reviewed.
  • Irrigation compared with no irrigation showed no clear difference in surgical site infection (low-certainty).
  • Antibacterial irrigation may reduce infections compared with non-antibacterial irrigation (RR 0.57, about 60 fewer per 1000), with the authors warning of possible publication bias.
  • In one trial of 190 people, povidone-iodine had a higher infection risk than superoxidized water, Dermacyn (RR 2.80, 95% CI 1.05 to 7.47; low-certainty).
  • Overall the evidence is low in certainty, and no trials compared an antiseptic with an antibiotic. The review covers wounds closed after surgery, not chronic wounds.