Molnlycke Health Care Introduces New Hibiclens General Skin Cleansing Patient Kit

Molnlycke Health Care U.S., manufacturer of Hibiclens® antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleanser, introduces a General Skin Cleansing Patient Kit to be used at home prior to surgery as part of an effective strategy to fight surgical-site infections (SSIs) and hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). With SSIs occurring in approximately 300,000-500,000 patients who undergo surgery in the U.S. each year(1) and hospitals spending anywhere from $28.4 to $45 billion(2) on HAIs, decreasing preventable infections is both a financial and health issue.

In 2008, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) issued guidelines that recognized the use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) for at home preoperative bathing the night before and the morning of surgery, specifically 4 percent CHG.(3) CHG bonds to the skin and actively kills germs for up to six hours without leaving a residue. Proven to kill the AH1N1 virus strain A/Swine/Iowa/15/30 [ATCC #VR-333], Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Hibiclens is the only antiseptic antimicrobial cleanser that contains 4 percent CHG and has more than 30 years of proven clinical efficacy.

The General Skin Cleansing Patient Kit will be provided to patients by health care facilities or providers for home use prior to surgery.  The kit comes with a four-ounce bottle of Hibiclens; a packet of five Mesoft® cotton disposable wash cloths (10 by 20 centimeters each) to aid in applying and washing with Hibiclens; and a guide to general skin cleansing prior to surgical procedures, including instructions on the proper way and at what time intervals to bathe or shower. The guide also has space for patient instructions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that patients shower or bathe prior to surgery with an antiseptic agent since that can decrease skin microbial colony counts. In a study of more than 700 patients who received two preoperative antiseptic showers, chlorhexidine reduced bacterial colony counts nine-fold. Because CHG products require several applications to attain maximum antimicrobial benefit, repeated antiseptic showers are indicated.(4) 

"Preoperative cleansing of patients' skin is an essential element in a facilities' plan to reduce the rate of postoperative infections.  Being able to provide patients with an easy-to-use kit for use at home that includes a mild, yet effective CHG cleanser will be an important factor in patient adherence and in potentially reducing infection rates," said Rhonda Lemmo, RN, CNOR, manager at Molnlycke Health Care.

Hibiclens is also indicated as a surgical hand scrub, preoperative skin preparation, healthcare personnel hand wash and for general wound and skin cleansing. General Skin Cleansing Patient kits are available through medical distributors or by contacting Molnlycke Health Care at 1-800-843-8497, customer.orders@molnlyckeus.com or www.hibiclens.com.

References

(1)  Darouiche RO, Wall, MJ Jr., Itani KMF, et al. Chlorhexidine–Alcohol versus Povidone–Iodine for Surgical-Site Antisepsis. N Engl J Med 2010;362:18-26.

(2)  Scott, R. D. (2009, March). The Direct Medical Costs of Healthcare-Associated Infections in U.S. Hospitals and the Benefits of Prevention. Retrieved December 2009, from Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DHQP/pdf/Scott_CostPaper.pdf.

(3)  2009 AORN Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices; AORN Recommended Practices for Preoperative Patient Skin Antisepsis; Recommendation I, 1.a. and 1.a.1. 

(4)  Mangram AJ, Horan TC, Pearson ML, Silver LC, et al. Guideline for Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 1999. Infection Control And Hospital Epidemiology , 247-78.