Chemical burns and skin preparation solutions

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Surgical Safety
• Medical Device Safety

Background:

• Chemical skin preparation agents can cause uncommon burns, particularly in patients in the lithotomy or orthopedic positions.
• Thimerosal is frequently implicated, with burns occurring on the buttocks or extremities under tourniquets.
• The mechanism involves irritation, maceration, and pressure, leading to skin breakdown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the causes and prevention strategies for chemical skin preparation burns.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different skin preparation agents.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical cases involving skin preparation burns.
• Analysis of the mechanism of burn formation.
• Clinical experience with povidone-iodine as a skin preparation agent.

Main Results:

• Burns are most common in specific surgical positions and under tourniquets.
• Thimerosal is a frequently implicated agent.
• Povidone-iodine has been found to be effective and less irritating in clinical experience.

Conclusions:

• Preventing excessive skin abrasion, pooling of agents, and ensuring adequate drying are crucial for prevention.
• Povidone-iodine is a preferred agent due to its lower irritation potential and effectiveness.