Treatment of infected surgical wounds with Varidase

In 18 patients with subcutaneous wound infection after laparotomy the wounds were randomly treated with normal saline solution or with Varidase solution after complete opening, according to a double-blind system. Treatment was discontinued when the wound was clean enough for secondary suture or the patient could be discharged from hospital. Three patients, in whom the treatment was not completed because of intercurrent complications, were excluded from the evaluation. When the double-blind code was broken, 11 patients were found to have received saline treatment and 7 Varidase. The duration of the wound-dressing periods averaged 13.45 +/- 6.77 days in the former group and 5.00 +/- 2.16 in the latter. The difference is statistically significant.