THE EFFECT OF CHLORHEXIDINE IRRIGATION ON TENSILE WOUND STRENGTH

CHLORHEXIDINE IN AN ALCOHOL VEHICLE with flavoring agents has been use d as a mouthrinse to reduce plaque accumulation in periodontal surgery patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinse on the early tensile wound strengt h of healing surgical wounds in the rat. Standardized transdermal inci sions were made on each lateral abdominal wall of 40 Sprague-Dawley ra ts. Wounds were irrigated with 10 ml of 0.12% chlorhexidine or 10 ml o f normal saline prior to closure. Animals were sacrificed at 48 hours and 96 hours, and the wound area was excised by a standardized protoco l. Wound strength was measured using constant speed tensiometry to det ermine the tensile strength of the healing incision. Results revealed a significantly reduced tensile wound strength at 48 hours for the chl orhexidine-treated group (127 +/- 18.5 gm) compared to the saline irri gation group (150 +/- 32.3 gm) (P <0.001). However, by 96 hours a sign ificantly increased tensile wound strength was demonstrated by the chl orhexidine treated group (202.1 +/- 21.7 gm) compared to the saline ir rigation group (183.2 +/- 37.3 gm) (P<0.05). These data suggest that c hlorhexidine-containing mouthrinse irrigation of wounds produced a red uced early tensile wound strength, but ultimately resulted in shorter healing time.