The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) varies not just from one surgeon to another, but also between hospitals, between surgical procedures, and most importantly between patients. Use of appropriate preoperative skin antiseptics is an important factor in the incidence of SSI. This randomized prospective study compared the use of two different antiseptic preparations, namely Chlorhexidine and Povidone Iodine, and their role in reducing SSI. It was concluded that Chlorhexidine scrub as a preoperative skin preparation had less patients with SSI, than Povidone Iodine.

Keywords: Surgical Site Infection (SSI); Chlorhexidine; Povidone­Iodine (PI).