Do plastic adhesive drapes prevent post caesarean wound infection? 2001

H R Ward, and O G Jennings, and P Potgieter, and C J Lombard
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tygerberg Hospitals, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa. hrgward@telusplanet.net

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled double-blind trial at a regional referral centre for the Eastern Cape area, (Livingstone Hospital) to determine whether the use of plastic adhesive drapes intraoperatively would prevent Post Caesarean Section Wound Infection. A total of 620 patients undergoing Caesarean section (CS) were enrolled for randomization in the trial. Fifteen patients were excluded, while 305 received drapes (test group) and 300 did not (control group). Two patients in the control group were subsequently excluded. The primary outcome measure was the presence of Post Caesarean Wound Infection. A secondary outcome measure was the number of days in hospital post operation. The study and control groups were comparable at entry. Results show that 34 patients in the test group (N= 305) developed wound sepsis (11.1%) compared with 30 in the control group (N= 298) (10.1%) (difference not significant; Fisher's exact test 0.6933). Average days spent in hospital postoperatively were similar for both test (infected cases: mean 10.56 SD 3.84; non-infected cases: mean 5.21 SD 1.3) and control groups (infected cases: mean 10.18 SD 3.81; non-infected cases: mean 5.2 SD 0.93) (NS). We concluded that the use of plastic adhesive skin drapes did not avert PCWS or decrease the length of post operative stay in hospital for septic cases.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010969 Plastics Polymeric materials (usually organic) of large molecular weight which can be shaped by flow. Plastic usually refers to the final product with fillers, plasticizers, pigments, and stabilizers included (versus the resin, the homogeneous polymeric starting material). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Plastic
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002585 Cesarean Section Extraction of the FETUS by means of abdominal HYSTEROTOMY. Abdominal Delivery,Delivery, Abdominal,C-Section (OB),Caesarean Section,Postcesarean Section,Abdominal Deliveries,C Section (OB),C-Sections (OB),Caesarean Sections,Cesarean Sections,Deliveries, Abdominal
D003428 Cross Infection Any infection which a patient contracts in a health-care institution. Hospital Infections,Nosocomial Infections,Health Care Associated Infection,Health Care Associated Infections,Healthcare Associated Infections,Infection, Cross,Infections, Hospital,Infections, Nosocomial,Cross Infections,Healthcare Associated Infection,Hospital Infection,Infection, Healthcare Associated,Infection, Hospital,Infection, Nosocomial,Infections, Cross,Infections, Healthcare Associated,Nosocomial Infection
D005260 Female Females
D006761 Hospitals Institutions with an organized medical staff which provide medical care to patients. Hospital
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001458 Bandages Material used for wrapping or binding any part of the body. Dressings,Bandage,Dressing
D013019 South Africa A republic in southern Africa, the southernmost part of Africa. It has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). Officially the Republic of South Africa since 1960, it was called the Union of South Africa 1910-1960. Republic of South Africa,Union of South Africa

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