BMJ  2006;332 (6 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7549.0

Skin sutures can get wet safely after minor excisions

Uncovering sutures and allowing them to get wet in the first 48 hours after minor skin excisions may not increase infection rates. Heal and colleagues (p 1053) randomised over 800 patients to two groups: the "dry" group had to keep their wounds dry and covered for the first 48 hours, and the "wet" group had to remove the dressings within 12 hours and bathe as normal. By the time the sutures were removed, the incidence of infection was 8-9% in both groups. The study was conducted in a tropical area (Queensland, Australia), however, and the authors say their results may not be generalisable to temperate climates: sweat induced by tropical conditions may dampen dressings and reduce their effectiveness as a barrier against bacteria.

Credit: MARAZZI/SPL

 

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