Comparison of a Waterless, Scrubless CHG/Ethanol Surgical Scrub to Povidone-Iodine Surgical Scrubs

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Using of waterless hand rubs have extended to surgical hand scrub. The purposes of this study were to compare the bacterial reduction effect and skin condition resulting from the use of the CHG/ethanol emollient and 7.5% PVI scrub. METHODS: A clinical study involving 12 healthy newly employed nurses evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness and skin condition. The CHG/ethanol emollient hand preparation was applied without scrubbing. And 7.5% PVI was applied using scrub brushes in 5-minute surgical scrubs. Subjects performed for 5days each method alternatively. Bacterial samples were taken using the glove juice technique at pre-scrubbing, 1 minute after treatment, and end point of operation on the Days 1, 2, and 5. The VSS (Visual Scoring of skin condition) score and HSA (Hand Subject Assessment) scale were used to evaluate skin condition. RESULTS: The log reduction of the CHG/ethanol emollient were higher than that of 7.5% PVI at immediate (log 3.73 ± 1.34 vs. 1.66 ± 2.24) and end point of operation (log 3.49 ± 1.64 vs. 1.93 ± 1.75) on Day 1. But there were no significant difference on Day 2 and 5. The skin condition in the CHG/ethanol emollient hand preparation group showed significant improvement. The VSS of the CHG/ethanol emollient score were better than that of 7.5% PVI on Day 2, 3, 4, and 5 (P < .05). And also HSA scale for change from baseline to the end of Day 5 was significantly better for the CHG/ethanol emollient (22.5->24.3 vs. 23.0->19.3). CONCLUSIONS: The CHG/ethanol emollient hand preparation was partially effect but gentler to skin than 7.5% PVI. The results showed the possibility using of waterless, scrubless agent for surgical hand scrub in Korea.