The knowledge of Povidone-iodine for using disinfect wound👀

Povidone-iodine is the most common sterilizer in clinical practice. Its bactericidal effect is excellent and it has almost no irritation to the skin and mucous membranes. It is also painless when patients are using it, so it is a common self-prepared medicine in many families. However, not all wounds are suitable for sterilize with povidone-iodine. In some cases, the chronic wounds are aggravated when the patients had dressing change.

Here are a clinical doctor summarized a few advices for povidone-iodine:

1. Use povidone-iodine less 

Povidone-iodine disinfect acute and chronic wounds and surrounding skin is very common in clinical. Although povidone-iodine has almost no irritation to the skin and mucous membranes, it is also some harmful to the tissue. It will affect the growth of tissues in a relatively short period of time. If povidone-iodine stays in the wound surface, this effect may be further aggravated. 

In most patients with strong self-healing ability, this short-term stimulation may not lead to delayed wound healing. However, for some elderly patients, their skin barrier became weak and healing ability worse. At this time, the side effects of povidone-iodine become prominent and even make the patient painful and unable to sleep.

2. Use saline

Because of the presence of acidic substances such as urea, salt, amino acids, uric acid, free fatty acids and lactic acid on the surface of human skin, the surface of the skin is always performed weakly acidic. The characteristics of the pH value of the skin surface: ①The pH value of the normal skin surface is about 5.0～7.0. ②The lowest pH value can reach 4.0 and the highest pH value can reach 9.6. ③The average skin pH value is about 5.8. Only when the skin is in the normal pH range which is weakly acidic, it can be in the best state of absorbing nutrients. At this time, the skin stay in the best state to resist external erosion. 

Due to the impregnation of wound exudate and topical drugs, the skin around chronic wounds is destroyed the original pH. If it is not washed with saline after povidone-iodine disinfects the skin, the residual povidone-iodine may destroy the pH and humidity of the skin. This will weaken skin resistance.

3. Use antibiotics with caution

People should use antibiotics strictly in accordance with the indications. For infectious wounds, the anti-infective treatment should be adjusted in time based on drug sensitivity. 

For limited wounds, if the patient is generally in good condition, no systemic infection, no osteomyelitis, it is not necessary to take antibiotics intravenously or even orally. It can be considered using topical antibacterial drugs or antibacterial dressings.