The Comparison of Effect of Two Different Antiseptics in The Contamination of The tip of Epidural Catheter

Lütfiye Pirbudak1, Sevgi Uçar2, Yasemin Zer3, Ayşe Mızrak4, Hülya Çiçek5

1Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department Of Anesthesiology And Reanimation, Division Of Algology, Gaziantep, Turkey
2Mardin Children
3Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department Of Microbiology, Gaziantep, Turkey
4Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department Of Anesthesiology And Reanimation, Gaziantep, Turkey
5Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department Of Biochemistry, Gaziantep, Turkey

Keywords: EpiduralCatheter, Contamination, Po¬vidonIodine, Benzalkonium-Chloride+ 2-propanol

Abstract

We aimed to compare the preventive effect of the skin antiseptics as %10 povidon iodine and 2-propanol+benzalkonium chlorideon the contamination of the tip of epidural catheter.
We included 160 patients, administered antibiotic prophylaxis, aged 18-65 years, ASA physical status I–II. Patients were randomized. Group P(n=80) were given povidon iyot as a skin antiseptic before inserting the catheter: Group B 2-propanol and benzalkoniumchloride were used. The swab was taken before and after the usage of antiseptics and sent for culture. The catheter was pulled after cleaning the skin in the catheter area with anthiseptics used before after 48 hours inserting the catheter. Two-three cm pieces of tip of catheter was cut in the sterile conditions and sent to laboratory. Preoperative and postoperative complete blood count, body temperature and the signs of postoperative local skin infection in the catheter area were recorded.
Leukocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts of all patients were in normal ranges. The skin swab culture taken after the usage of antiseptics was positive in 6 patients in group P; coagulase-negative staphylococc in 5 patients, E. Coli in 1 patients. The difference between both groups was found statistically significant (p=0.013). Cultures were negative for all the epidural catheter.
The results showed that the combination of benzalkonium chloride+2-propanol was found to be more effective in reducing the skin flora around the epidural catheter insertion site.