Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds (FLOW): Pilot Trial



Status:Completed
Conditions:Infectious Disease, Hospital
Therapuetic Areas:Immunology / Infectious Diseases, Other
Healthy:No
Age Range:Any
Updated:3/20/2019
Start Date:July 2006
End Date:June 2008

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Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds (FLOW): A Multi-Center, Blinded, Factorial Pilot Trial Comparing Alternative Irrigating Solutions and Pressures in Patients With Open Fractures

The purpose of this trial is to investigate whether irrigation solution (soap vs. saline
solution), or irrigation pressure (high vs. low) will decrease the rate of infection among
patients with open fracture wounds.

Open fractures are an important source of morbidity and are associated with delayed union,
nonunion, and infection. Preventing infection through meticulous irrigation and debridement
is an important goal in management, and different lavage fluids and irrigation techniques
(e.g. high or low pressure lavage) have been described for this purpose. There are, however,
a limited number of randomized trials comparing irrigating solutions or irrigating technique.
We compared the use of castile soap versus normal saline, as well as high versus low pressure
pulsatile lavage on the rates of reoperations and complications in patients with open
fracture wounds.

Inclusion Criteria:

- skeletally mature

- sustained an open fracture of the appendicular skeleton (type I to IIIb).

Exclusion Criteria:

- vascular deficit

- [any] allergy to detergents or castile soap

- previous wound infection or osteomyelitis

- previous fracture with retained hardware in the injured extremity

- operative management more than 24 hours after injury

- use of immunosuppressive medication within six months

- immunological deficiency or disease conditions

- fractures of the hands (distal to the carpus) or toes
We found this trial at
4
sites
1000 South Beckham Avenue
Tyler, Texas 75701
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Tyler, TX
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Columbia, Missouri 65203
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Columbia, MO
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Greenville, South Carolina 29615
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Greenville, SC
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Halifax,
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