Saline irrigation and wound infection in abdominal gynecologic surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether saline wound irrigation decreases the incidence of wound infection following abdominal gynecologic surgery.

METHOD

In this prospective randomized study, 104 patients underwent wound irrigation before wound closure following abdominal gynecologic surgery and 102 patients did not.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in patient characteristics or in factors influencing the incidence of wound infection after abdominal gynecologic surgery. The incidence of wound infection was 10.6% among women who underwent wound irrigation and 9.8% among those who did not, and the difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Saline wound irrigation before abdominal wall closure is not helpful in decreasing the incidence of wound infection after abdominal gynecologic surgery.