Morphological analysis of three wound-cleaning processes on potentially contamined wounds in rats

To evaluate the inflammatory response of potentially infected wounds treated with isotonic saline solution, chlorhexidine and PVP-I, seven days after surgery.

Thirty-two male rats were used, divided into 4 groups. All animals had their surgical wounds infected with a standard bacterial inoculum. Control group (A): animals had their surgical wounds sutured without any kind of cleaning. Saline solution group (B): animals had their wounds cleaned with saline solution. Chlorhexidine group (C): animals had their wounds cleaned with chlorhexidine. PVP-I group (D): animals had their wounds cleaned with PVP-I. Seven days after surgery, all the animals had their skin submitted to microscopic and macroscopic evaluation.

Edema was found on all histological slices analyzed, as well as vascular proliferation and congestion. Groups A and D showed presence of mild neutrophilic infiltrate, and moderate lymphocytic and macrophage infiltrate. Group B showed severe neutrophilic, macrophage, and lymphocytic infiltrate. Group C showed moderate neutrophilic, macrophage, and lymphocytic infiltrate.

Group D was the group which showed inflammatory infiltrate most similar to the group that was not submitted to treatment.