Combination of lidocaine gel and povidone-iodine to decrease acquired infections in procedures performed using...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Antisepsis

Background:

• Topical lidocaine gel is used for anesthesia during medical procedures.
• Povidone-iodine is a widely used antiseptic agent.
• Ensuring effective antisepsis is crucial to prevent surgical site infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the antiseptic efficacy of povidone-iodine when combined with topical lidocaine gel.
• To determine the optimal application sequence for povidone-iodine and lidocaine gel.

Main Methods:

• An experimental study design was employed.
• Specific bacterial strains including Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, viridans streptococci, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used.
• Bacterial growth was assessed on blood agar plates treated with povidone-iodine and/or lidocaine gel, quantifying surviving colony-forming units.

Main Results:

• The combination of povidone-iodine and lidocaine gel demonstrated antiseptic efficacy comparable to povidone-iodine alone.
• Applying lidocaine gel prior to povidone-iodine treatment resulted in bacterial growth similar to untreated controls.
• Admixture of povidone-iodine with lidocaine gel was effective in preventing bacterial growth.

Conclusions:

• Povidone-iodine must be applied before lidocaine gel for maximum antiseptic effect.
• Combining povidone-iodine with lidocaine gel offers effective antisepsis and may mitigate risks associated with lidocaine gel use, such as endophthalmitis.
• This approach presents a potentially practice-changing method for preoperative prophylaxis in procedures requiring topical anesthesia.