Is prophylactic abdominal irrigation with polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (PVPI) safe?

In order to investigate the safety of abdominal irrigation with polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (PVPI), the abdominal cavities of normal rats were irrigated with the highest nonlethal dose. Samples of the peritoneal fluid were taken before and 1, 2, and 4 hours after irrigations. Control studies were done with saline. After irrigation with PVPI, the protein concentration in the peritoneal fluid showed a 40-fold increase, compared with only a doubling after saline irrigations. Irrigation with PVPI causes serious peritoneal damage, and should therefore not be performed as a prophylactic procedure.