Comparison of Honey & Povidone Iodine dressings in Post-Cesarean Surgical Site Wound Infection Healing

OBJECTIVE: To compare the healing of post-cesarean infected wounds by a combination of honey and povidone iodine & povidone-iodine alone dressings using ASEPSIS Score. METHOD: This prospective randomised cohort study was carried out at at OBGYN Department Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center from 1(st) August 2022 till 31(st) December 2022. Patients were randomly allocated into groups A and B. Group-A was dressed with honey povidone-iodine, while Group-B only had povidone-iodine. The ASEPSIS score was calculated in both groups on day fifth, 7(th), 9th, and 10(th) day. Patients were followed till full recovery of the wound. RESULTS: A total of 70 women were included and equally allocated into two groups A & B (35 each). On day five mean ASEPSIS score in Group-A was 36.14 and that in Group- B was 37.74. No significant difference in scores were noted on day five [t (68) = -.753, p = .454] & day seven Group-A 28.63 vs Group-B 32.11 [t (68) = -1.302, p = .197]. Significant improvements in ASEPSIS scores were noted on days ninth & tenth. On day nine ASEPSIS score of Group-A was 21.54 and that of Group-B was 27.14 [t (68) = -2.056, p = .044]. On day tenth the mean ASEPSIS score of Group-A was 18.26, while that of Group-B was 23.86 [t (68) = -2.021, p = .047]. The mean time required for the wound to heal in Group-A and Group-B was eighteen & twenty-one days respectively. CONCLUSION: Significant improvements in ASEPSIS score occurred with the use of honey with povidone-iodine combination.