[Comparison in effectiveness of sterilization between chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine]

To evaluate the positive value of bacterial cultures which were collected soon after various types of ophthalmic surgery, from eyelids and conjunctiva disinfected by dilute chlorhexidine gluconate or povidone-iodine solution.

This study evaluated 179 cases (mean age, 65.6 +/- 15.3) (210 eyes) who underwent cataract surgery, vitrectomy and scleral buckling performed by the same surgeon between April 2005 and December 2005. We divided all the cases into two groups: cases whose eyelids and conjunctiva were disinfected with dilute 0.05% solution of chlorhexidine gluconate, and the other cases whose eyelids were disinfected with 10% solution of povidone-iodine, and the conjunctiva was treated with 16 times dilute povidone-iodine solution. Soon after surgery, samples for bacterial culture were scraped from all eyelids and conjunctiva by swabs.

From the eyelids, bacteria were detected from 39 of the 107 eyes in the chlorhexidine gluconate group, and 19 of the 103 eyes in the povidone-iodine group (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine groups with respect to the number of positive cases from the conjunctiva. However, a higher positive value in bacterial culture collected from eyelids was shown in the chlorhexidine gluconate group.

Therefore, based on this result, we consider that povidone-iodine solution has a superior disinfectant effect compared to chlorhexidine gluconate.