Saline irrigation and wound infection in abdominal gynecologic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether saline wound irrigation decreases the incidence of wound infection following abdominal gynecologic surgery.

METHOD: In this prospective randomized study, 104 patients underwent wound irrigation before wound closure following abdominal gynecologic surgery and 102 patients did not.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in patient characteristics or in factors influencing the incidence of wound infection after abdominal gynecologic surgery. The incidence of wound infection was 10.6% among women who underwent wound irrigation and 9.8% among those who did not, and the difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: Saline wound irrigation before abdominal wall closure is not helpful in decreasing the incidence of wound infection after abdominal gynecologic surgery.