Efficacy of chlorhexidine as a bladder irrigant in minimizing lower urinary tract infection after endoscopic procedures

ABSTRACT

This study involved 180 patients admitted for transurethral endoscopic manipulations either diagnostic or therapeutic. All patients entered the study have sterile urine as proved by bacterial counting in mid-stream urine samples below 10[5]/ml. Patients were divided into two groups; 90 patients for each. Treatment group, those receiving intravesical instillation of 100 ml. of 0.05% Chlorhexidine digluconate in sterile water that was retained in the bladder for 10 minutes before recommending free-drainage, twice daily postoperatively as long as the catheter in place. Control group; those were receiving normal saline for intravesical irrigation. In patients with catheter remaining less than two days; infection was found in catheter specimen and mid-stream urine after catheter removal in 19.35% and 12% respectively in comparison with the control group 27.6% and 40%. While those patients with catheter remaining more than two days; infection was found in catheter specimens and mid-steam urine after catheter removal in 22% and 5.2%]. Respectively in comparison with the control group [27.9% and 22.7] We conclude that chlorhexidine is effective in minimizing post operative bacteriuria especially in those patients keeping the catheter for less than two days. No local or systemic complications has been reported