Topical formulations based on polyhexamethylene hydrochloride guanidine for surgical field antisepsis

As surgical site infection can prolong the patient's hospital stay, increase morbidity and mortality rates and medical and hospital expenses, justifying the search for new effective and low-cost antiseptic drugs is justifiable. Thus, the objective of the present study was to analyze, by direct clinical and microbiological examination, the topical antiseptic effect of a solution based on polyhexamethylene hydrochloride guanidine (PHMGH) at 0.5% on the intact skin surface of sheep and cats, aiming at its use in operative field (previous and definitive antisepsis), compared to 0.5% alcoholic chlorhexidine and association with this. The topical solutions did not cause any skin damage, regardless of species. The PHMGH demonstrated an antiseptic effect equivalent to chlorhexidine, however, the association between PHMGH and alcoholic chlorhexidine was more effective compared to isolated products. It is concluded that the topical products tested were harmless to the skin surface; PHMGH can be a preventive and less expensive option in skin antisepsis and that the association between PHMGH and alcoholic chlorhexidine was more effective in microbiological control when compared to the isolated products tested, however, more research will be essential to investigate the potentiation of these, as well as the performance of PHMGH in the presence of body fluids.