A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Early And Delayed Dressing Removal After Major Abdominal Surgery

Objective:Early dressing is a physical barrier to protect the wound,can absorb exudation and prevent bacterial contamination;but prolonged time may increase the chance of infection,while covering the dressing requirements brought by the dressing,increasing the workload and medical expenses.This study analyzed the effects of early removal of dressings(24 hours after surgery)and delayed removal of dressings(conventional dressing coverage to suture removal days)on surgical incision infection rates,workload,and patient satisfaction.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled trial of 100 patients with primary abdominal surgery who underwent primary closure was randomized into two groups.In the experimental group,the incision was removed early after the operation,the control group delayed the removal of the dressing,and the rate of incision infection,the number of change and the cost and the satisfaction of the patients in the two groups were compared.General anesthesia was used in both groups.The incisions were all type ? incisions.No peritoneal fluid exudation occurred.Results:There was no significant difference in gender,age,and days of antibiotic use between the two groups(P>0.05).During hospitalization,the incision infection rate of the experimental group was 10.00%(5/50),the number of dressing changes was(1.24±1.19)and the dressing cost was(45.18±42.94)yuan;The incision infection rate of the control group was 16.00%(8/50),the number of dressing changes was(4.28±0.99)and dressing cost was(587.78±165.26)yuan.According to the statistical analysis results,there was no significant difference in incision infection rate between the two groups(P>0.05),but there was a statistically significant difference in the frequency of dressing changes,dressing cost and patient satisfaction(P<0.05).Conclusion:After major abdominal surgery,early removal of the dressing had no significant effect on reducing the incision infection rate,did not increase the incision infection rate,but significantly reduced the frequency of dressing changes,reduced the workload of medical staff,significantly reduced the cost of medical treatment,and improved patient satisfaction.