STUDY OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare the postoperative infection rates between patients receiving either povidone-iodine (PI) or baby shampoo vaginal preparations before gynecologic surgery.

DESIGN

Cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

University referral center for gynecologic endoscopy.

PATIENTS

All patients underwent minimally invasive gynecologic surgery including hysteroscopy or laparoscopy.

INTERVENTIONS

The agents used for vaginal preparation were either baby shampoo in a 1:1 dilution with sterile normal saline solution or PI 7.5% scrub solution.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Charts were reviewed for evidence of infection within 30 days of surgery (symptoms of urinary tract infection, abdominal or vaginal wound infections, temperature > 100.4 degrees F, and fungal or bacterial vaginitis). A total of 249 cases were collected; 96 subjects underwent surgery before the change to baby shampoo and 153 subjects after. Both groups were well matched for the types of surgery performed, age, risk factors for postoperative infections, and the postoperative diagnosis. The infection rates were 14/96 (14.6%) with PI preparation versus 18/153 (11.8%) with baby shampoo (p = .52).

CONCLUSION

Baby shampoo should be studied as an alternative to PI because it is a nonirritating, inexpensive mild detergent. This preliminary study suggests that baby shampoo is as effective as PI in preventing postoperative infection.