Surgical site infection increases hospital stay and hospitalization cost. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends preoperative skin disinfection as  one way of preventing surgical site infection. In our institution, we employ two disinfectants, povidone-iodine solution and 2-propanol + benzalkonium chloride (Cutasept F). However, no randomized trial comparing the two solutions has been conducted in our setting.
OBJECTIVE: To determine if 2-propanol + benzalkonium chloride is more effective than povidone-iodine solution in preventing surgical site infection
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized comparative design
PARTICIPANTS: Service patients scheduled for pelvic laparotomy for benign conditions
MAIN OUTCOME: Surgical site infection within 30 days postsurgery
RESULTS: There was 100% non-infection rate observed among patients using povidone-iodine solution and 100%, non-infection rate among those using 2-propanol + benzalkonium chloride (Cutasept F) from the start of 3rd day to 30th day. Both solutions were equally effective in preventing infection in 3rd (P = 1.00), 7th (P = 1.00), and 30th days post-surgery(P = 1.000).
CONCLUSION: 2-propanol + benzalkonium chloride (Cutasept F) and povidone-iodine solution performed equally in preventing infection within 30 days post-surgery.

Human ; Female ; 2-propanol ; Disinfection ; Disinfectants ; Benzalkonium Compounds ; 1-propanol ; Povidone-iodine ; Surgical Wound Infection ; Laparotomy ; Hospitalization ; Propanols