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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Am Vet Med Assoc / Evaluation of iodophor skin preparation techniques and facto...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association1999; 215(7); 963-969;

Evaluation of iodophor skin preparation techniques and factors influencing drainage from ventral midline incisions in horses.

Abstract: To document natural bacterial flora on the ventral aspect of the equine abdomen, to compare 2 preparation techniques, and to identify potential risk factors that may contribute to incisional drainage. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 53 horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy. Methods: Group-1 horses (n = 26) were prepared with povidone-iodine and alcohol. Group-2 horses (27) were prepared with a film-forming iodophor complex. Numbers of bacterial colony-forming units (CFU) were measured before and after surgical scrub, following skin closure, and after recovery from general anesthesia. Swab specimens to identify normal skin bacterial flora and potential pathogens were obtained by swabbing a 4 x 4-cm area. Variables that might affect incisional drainage were also investigated. Results: For both techniques, there was a significant reduction in bacterial numbers after skin preparation. Incisional drainage was observed in 14 (26%) horses (8 group-1 and 6 group-2 horses). Preexisting dermatitis, poor intraoperative drape adherence, high number of bacterial CFU obtained after recovery from anesthesia, and high number of CFU obtained from the surgery room environment were the main risk factors associated with subsequent incisional drainage. Bacillus spp, nonhemolytic Staphylococcus spp, Micrococcus spp, Corynebacterium spp, Streptomyces spp, other nonenteric genera, and nonhemolytic Streptococcus spp were the most common isolates obtained before surgical scrub. Conclusions: Both skin preparation techniques were equally effective in reducing numbers of bacterial CFU by 99%, and a significant difference was not found in incisional drainage rate between groups. Protection of the wound during recovery from anesthesia and the immediate postoperative period may reduce incisional drainage after abdominal surgery in horses.
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Publication Date: 1999-10-08 PubMed ID: 10511861
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  • Clinical Trial
  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the bacterial flora on the ventral aspect of the equine abdomen, comparing two different skin preparation methods, and studying potential risk factors that may contribute to incisional drainage in horses undergoing surgery.

Study Methodology

  • The study involved 53 horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy, divided into two groups.
  • Group 1 consisted of 26 horses, prepped for surgery using povidone-iodine and alcohol.
  • Group 2 involved 27 horses, prepared with a film-forming iodophor complex for surgery.
  • The number of bacterial colony-forming units (CFU) were noted before and after surgical scrub, post skin closure, and after recovery from general anesthesia.
  • Swab specimens were obtained from a 4×4 cm area to identify the normal skin bacterial flora and potential pathogens.
  • The research also investigated variables that might affect incisional drainage.

Key Findings

  • Both skin preparation procedures resulted in a significant reduction of bacterial numbers.
  • Incisional drainage was observed in 14 horses (8 from Group 1 and 6 from Group 2).
  • Factors such as preexisting dermatitis, poor adherence of intraoperative drape, a high number of bacterial CFU post-anesthesia recovery, and high number of CFU from the surgery room environment were primary risk factors associated with subsequent incisional drainage.
  • Microbial isolates like Bacillus spp, non-hemolytic Staphylococcus spp, Micrococcus spp, Corynebacterium spp, Streptomyces spp, other non-enteric genera, and non-hemolytic Streptococcus spp were commonly obtained before surgical scrub.

Study Conclusions

  • Both skin preparation techniques demonstrated similar effectiveness in reducing bacterial CFU by 99%, with no statistically significant difference in incisional drainage rates between the groups.
  • Wound protection during recovery from anesthesia and immediate post-operative period may play a role in reducing incisional drainage post-abdominal surgery in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Galuppo LD, Pascoe JR, Jang SS, Willits NH, Greenman SL. (1999). Evaluation of iodophor skin preparation techniques and factors influencing drainage from ventral midline incisions in horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 215(7), 963-969.

Publication

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN: 0003-1488
NlmUniqueID: 7503067
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 215
Issue: 7
Pages: 963-969

Researcher Affiliations

Galuppo, L D
  • Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Pascoe, J R
    Jang, S S
      Willits, N H
        Greenman, S L

          MeSH Terms

          • Abdominal Muscles / microbiology
          • Abdominal Muscles / surgery
          • Age Factors
          • Animals
          • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / therapeutic use
          • Colic / surgery
          • Colic / veterinary
          • Colony Count, Microbial / veterinary
          • Dermatitis / microbiology
          • Dermatitis / veterinary
          • Drainage
          • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
          • Horses / microbiology
          • Horses / surgery
          • Iodophors / therapeutic use
          • Logistic Models
          • Povidone-Iodine / therapeutic use
          • Preoperative Care / veterinary
          • Prospective Studies
          • Risk Factors
          • Skin / injuries
          • Skin / microbiology
          • Surgical Wound Infection / prevention & control
          • Surgical Wound Infection / veterinary

          Citations

          This article has been cited 10 times.
          1. Cerullo A, Di Nicola MR, Scilimati N, Bertoletti A, Pollicino G, Moroni B, Pepe M, Nannarone S, Gialletti R, Passamonti F. Intra- and Post-Operative Bacteriological Surveys of Surgical Site in Horses: A Single-Centre Study. Microorganisms 2025 Apr 17;13(4).
            doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13040928pubmed: 40284764google scholar: lookup
          2. Griessel TS, Muñoz Morán JA, Byaruhanga C, Smit Y. A single-centre retrospective study of surgical site infection following equine colic surgery (2013‒2021). Vet Rec 2025 May 17;196(10):e5227.
            doi: 10.1002/vetr.5227pubmed: 40123113google scholar: lookup
          3. Gozalo-Marcilla M, Ringer SK. Recovery after General Anaesthesia in Adult Horses: A Structured Summary of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 14;11(6).
            doi: 10.3390/ani11061777pubmed: 34198637google scholar: lookup
          4. Stöckle SD, Kannapin DA, Kauter AML, Lübke-Becker A, Walther B, Merle R, Gehlen H. A Pilot Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing a Short-Term Perioperative Prophylaxis Regimen to a Long-Term Standard Protocol in Equine Colic Surgery. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021 May 16;10(5).
            doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10050587pubmed: 34065712google scholar: lookup
          5. Crosa AT, Katzman SA, Kelleher ME, Nieto JE, Kilcoyne I, Dechant JE. Incidence of incisional complications after exploratory celiotomy in equids affected with enterolithiasis. Can Vet J 2020 Oct;61(10):1085-1091.
            pubmed: 33012825
          6. Isgren CM, Salem SE, Townsend NB, Timofte D, Maddox TW, Archer DC. Sequential bacterial sampling of the midline incision in horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy. Equine Vet J 2019 Jan;51(1):38-44.
            doi: 10.1111/evj.12958pubmed: 29679416google scholar: lookup
          7. Hilbert M, Csadek I, Auer U, Hilbert F. Antimicrobial Resistance-Transducing Bacteriophages Isolated from Surfaces of Equine Surgery Clinics - A Pilot Study. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2017 Dec 18;7(4):296-302.
            doi: 10.1556/1886.2017.00032pubmed: 29403658google scholar: lookup
          8. Nakata H, Tsubotani Y, Nii T, Hagi A, Inoue Y, Imamura T. Effects of olanexidine gluconate on preoperative skin preparation: an experimental study in cynomolgus monkeys. J Med Microbiol 2017 May;66(5):678-685.
            doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.000462pubmed: 28516852google scholar: lookup
          9. Ebrahimi A, Hemati M, Shabanpour Z, Habibian Dehkordi S, Bahadoran S, Lotfalian S, Khubani S. Effects of benzalkonium chloride on planktonic growth and biofilm formation by animal bacterial pathogens. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2015 Feb;8(2):e16058.
            doi: 10.5812/jjm.16058pubmed: 25793094google scholar: lookup
          10. Ebrahimi A, Hemati M, Habibian Dehkordi S, Bahadoran S, Khoshnood S, Khubani S, Dokht Faraj M, Hakimi Alni R. Chlorhexidine digluconate effects on planktonic growth and biofilm formation in some field isolates of animal bacterial pathogens. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod 2014 May;9(2):e14298.
            doi: 10.17795/jjnpp-14298pubmed: 24872940google scholar: lookup
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