Syringe Pressure Irrigation of Subdermic Tissue after Appendectomy to Decrease the Incidence of Postoperative Wound Infection

Cervantes-Sánchez, Carlos R.; Gutiérrez-Vega, Rafael; Vázquez-Carpizo, Jorge A.; Clark, Patricia; Ahité´-Gutiérrez, Cesar

doi:10.1007/s002689910008

Syringe Pressure Irrigation of Subdermic Tissue after Appendectomy to Decrease the Incidence of Postoperative Wound Infection

Journal

World Journal of Surgery

ISSN

0364-2313

1432-2323

Date Issued

2000

Author(s)

Cervantes-Sánchez, Carlos R.

Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud - CampCM

Gutiérrez-Vega, Rafael

Vázquez-Carpizo, Jorge A.

Clark, Patricia

Ahité´-Gutiérrez, Cesar

Type

text::journal::journal article

DOI

10.1007/s002689910008

URL

https://scripta.up.edu.mx/handle/20.500.12552/2547

Abstract

To evaluate syringe pressure irrigation of the surgical wound to decrease its infection after appendectomy, we designed a randomized control trial at the Emergency Department of Mexico City General Hospital, including 350 patients with acute abdomen suggestive of appendicitis, without any other infection clinically evident. The trial was randomized into 2 groups. Group I patients received prophylactic systemic antibiotics before surgery. Group II patients received the same prophylactic systemic antibiotics plus syringe pressure irrigation of the surgical wound with 300 ml of saline solution using a 20-ml syringe with 19-gauge intravenous (IV) catheter to measure the incidence of postoperative wound infection. In our results, 283 patients had appendicitis. Of these, 188 were uncomplicated (66.4%) and 95 (33.6%) were complicated. Of the complicated cases, 40 were assigned to group I, and of these, 29 (72.5%) developed wound infection. In group II there were 55 patients and only 9 (16.3%) developed wound infection after syringe pressure irrigation [p= 0.000001; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.02–0.22]. We conclude that syringe pressure irrigation of the surgical wound after appendectomy contributes significantly to decrease the incidence of postoperative wound infection in complicated cases. It is a cheap, safe, and accessible method in any surgical room.