Effectiveness and safety of chlorhexidine gluconate double-cleansing for surgical site infection prevention in neonatal intensive care unit surgical patients.

Purpose: This study assessed the efficacy and safety of preoperative chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) double-cleansing in reducing the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI) in surgical patients in neonatal intensive care units.

Methods: A retrospective chart review involved 56 patients who underwent 73 surgical procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from 2013 to 2022. CHG double-cleansing involves the following 2 processes. Firstly, preoperative cleansing with 0.5% CHG for elective surgeries the night before or at least 1 hour before emergency surgery. The anterior trunk cleansing spanned from the neck to the pubis, including both axillary lines. Secondly, the surgical site underwent skin preparation using 2% CHG with 72% isopropyl alcohol before an incision. A control group (2013-2018) that used iodine and a CHG group (2019-2022) employing CHG double-cleansing were compared. The occurrence of SSIs within 30 days after the surgical procedure was assessed.

Results: The overall SSI rate was 16.4% (n = 12) in the total procedures. The SSI rate was significantly higher (22.6%) in the control group; no SSI occurred in the CHG group (P = 0.029). No significant differences were observed in the other parameters. No adverse effects were observed in the CHG group.

Conclusion: CHG double-cleansing, a modified approach for surgical patients in the NICU, effectively reduced the incidence of SSI compared to traditional iodine-based skin preparations. This study supports the safe use of CHG in neonates, including premature infants, without significant complications.