There seems to be a presumption that some type of chemical solution (chlorhex, betadine, etc) is necessary for wound cleansing. As far as I know there is no data to support this, and one can certainly imagine ways that these cyto-toxic agents could cause harm. What the available data does support is irrigation with tap water (PMID: 18254034 , PMID: 23325896). I'm a fan of keeping things simple. More is not always better, and I think it's premature to promote the use of these agents as part of routine wound care by concluding that "chlorhexidine is better than betadine."
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Mike M. - August 15, 2017 11:27 PM
Thanks for delving into this important topic!
There seems to be a presumption that some type of chemical solution (chlorhex, betadine, etc) is necessary for wound cleansing. As far as I know there is no data to support this, and one can certainly imagine ways that these cyto-toxic agents could cause harm. What the available data does support is irrigation with tap water (PMID: 18254034 , PMID: 23325896). I'm a fan of keeping things simple. More is not always better, and I think it's premature to promote the use of these agents as part of routine wound care by concluding that "chlorhexidine is better than betadine."