Bladder irrigation with chlorhexidine for the prevention of urinary infection after transurethral operations: a prospective controlled study.

The value of postoperative bladder irrigation with the antiseptic agent chlorhexidine was assessed in a randomized prospective controlled study of men after transurethral operations. In patients with sterile preoperative urine the incidence of postoperative bacteriuria was 12.8 per cent, compared to 36.7 per cent in control patients. The difference is significant (chi-square 5.54, p less than 0.02). On the other hand, chlorhexidine irrigation did not eliminate pre-existing infection. Small amounts of chlorhexidine were demonstrated in the blood of some patients. There was no evidence of damage to the bladder and no toxic side effects.