Chlorhexidine Gluconate for Skin Preparation During Catheter Insertion and Surgical Procedures

There is a lack of evidence on the clinical effectiveness of chlorhexidine gluconate wipes for patients being prepped for urinary catheter insertion in acute or community care. More research in this area is needed. In critical care settings, bathing with chlorhexidine gluconate wipes results in either a reduction or no difference in the risk of infection compared to bathing with soap and water. The results from 1 study demonstrated that using chlorhexidine gluconate‒impregnated cloths the night before and morning of admission pre-surgery reduced infections at the site of the prosthetic in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty when compared to standard soap and water bathing. When reported, adverse events associated with chlorhexidine gluconate wipes included mild skin irritation.