Povidone Burn

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Usually after sugery, we are noticing skin irritation from Povidone Iodine or worst sometimes burn. How are you managing them!

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Wash off the B-dine off as soon as possible. Just used some warmed sterile water.

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Wash off the B-dine off as soon as possible. Just used some warmed sterile water.

:up: :up:

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I've only worked in one NICU and I was told that povidine-iodine "burns" neonates if left on their skin. This was very different for me as I was used to "painting" adults with the stuff and letting it just wear off. We clean any of the stuff off the infants as soon as possible. I've never personally seen a burn from it but I'm not going to risk it.

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I've never personally seen a burn from it but I'm not going to risk it.

I have. It looks painful. :crying2:

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Specializes in ICN.

We hate the stuff in our unit and wash it off as soon as possible after surgery. We rarely use anything but mild soap on the babies--not alcohol, not benzoine. The 2 percent clorhexidine (I'm a terrible speller) is used for most washing of the skin before line insertions and sticks with saline wipes to wash it off.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Another issue w/B-dine is that premie skin can absorb some of the Iodine which is not that good for the baby's thyroid.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Another thing to be careful w/is Xerofoam. It contains Bismuth, and is a big favorite of the surgeons. But, again, the kids can absorb it, w/? who knows what effect.

It's easy to forget how "transmissable" fetal skin is.

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Specializes in ICN.
Another issue w/B-dine is that premie skin can absorb some of the Iodine which is not that good for the baby's thyroid.

Exactly. We have a nurse, Carolyn Lund, at our hospital who has written many articles on preemie skin issues, and this was one of the first ones I recall hearing about. We haven't used iodine on our preemies in over twenty years. Unfortunately, the surgeons don't always follow our protocols!

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Yeah, you are all right, washing it off is the best remedy. And yes surgeon are stubborn with regards to these matters. We have one case of burn in our unit. right after the surgery, burn and blisters are already noted. what we did is we treated it as a burn... Applied Mebo ointment.thanks God! patient improved dramatically.

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