Skin preparation methods before cesarean section. A comparative study.

Preoperative skin preparation before cesarean section using a one-minute alcohol wash followed by application of an iodophor-impregnated adhesive film was evaluated in a prospective, randomized, controlled study of 79 patients. The iodophor film was as effective as the five-minute iodophor scrub followed by an iodophor wash, as determined by a reduction in skin bacterial counts. Clinical infectious morbidity was no different between the treatment and control groups, although the study was too small to draw statistically significant conclusions in this respect. This study demonstrated the antimicrobial effectiveness of a new, more rapid method of pre-operative skin preparation before cesarean section as compared to a longer, traditional method. This new, rapid method offers advantages for many patients undergoing abdominal delivery.