Intra-Operative Wound Irrigation with Normal Saline Solution Versus Topical Antibiotics to Avoid Wound Infection

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare intra-operative wound irrigation with normal saline versus irrigation with Imipenem and Cilastatin solution to develop surgical site infections in open appendectomy wounds. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, Combined Military Hospital, Bahawalnagar Pakistan, from Oct 2015 to Oct 2017. Methodology: Patients diagnosed with cases of acute appendicitis and planned to undergo open appendectomy were randomly divided into two equal groups; Group-A and Group-B. Group-A was subjected to intra-operative wound irrigation with 100 ml saline solution before skin closure. Group-B was irrigated with Imipenem and Cilastatin solution (500 mg diluted in 10ml of distilled water). Development of post-operative Surgical Site Infection was checked till the 30th Post-Operative Day. Results: Frequency of post-operative Surgical Side infection was comparatively less in Group-B (2.4%) as compared to Group-A (8%), which was found to be statistically significant (p-value=0.046) Conclusion: Intra-operative wound irrigation with Imipenem and Cilastatin solution was superior to normal saline irrigation regarding the development of Surgical Site Infection in cases undergoing open appendectomy.