NIHR Global Research Health Unit of Global Surgery. Reducing surgical site infections in low-income and middle-income countries (FALCON): a pragmatic, multicentre, stratified, randomised controlled trial.
Lancet 2021; 398: 1687-1699
This 2 x 2 factorial trial studied two different antiseptics for skin preparation (alcoholic chlorhexidine and aqueous iodine) and the use of antiseptic (triclosan) coated sutures among 5788 patients undergoing surgery. The overall surgical site infection rate was 22 per cent. There was no benefit from using chlorhexidine or triclosan sutures over the cheaper alternatives.
Comment: Another example of more expensive interventions that have no proven value in low and middle income countries. Why does that appear to be different in higher income countries?
1 January 2022
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