A Comparison of Chlorhexidine-Alcohol Versus Povidone-Iodine for Eliminating Skin Flora Before Genitourinary Prosthetic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Chlorhexidine-alcohol was superior to povidone-iodine in eradicating skin flora at the surgical skin site before genitourinary prosthetic implantation. There does not appear to be any increased risk of urethral or genital skin irritation with the use of chlorhexidine compared to povidone-iodine. Chlorhexidine-alcohol appears to be the optimal agent for skin preparation before genitourinary prosthetic procedures.