The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Skin antisepsis with chlorhexidine–alcohol versus povidone iodine–alcohol, with and without skin scrubbing, for prevention of intravascular-catheter-related infection (CLEAN): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled, two-by-two factorial trial. Lancet 2015; 386: 2069–2077.

Published: 11th February 2016

Authors: Minoz O, Lucet J-C, Kerfome T, Pascal J, Souweine B, Goudet V et al for the CLEAN trial investigators. et al.

Conclusion

Scrubbing was no better than wiping the skin with antiseptic in this study that included 2546 procedures. Chlorhexidine was better than povidone iodine at reducing the number of catheter-related infections: 0.28 versus 1.77 infections per 1000 catheter days, P = 0.0002.

Pubmed Link