Intraoperative patient skin prep agents: is there a difference?

For health care institutions, intraoperative prep agents are a critical link in combating surgical site infections and the associated economic burden. The question remains, is there an intraoperative prep agent that is truly superior to the others? We conducted a literature review to examine available empirical evidence related to intraoperative prep agents used in our health system for open abdominal, general surgery procedures: povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate, parachoroxylenol, and iodine povacrylex in 74% isopropyl alcohol. Intraoperative surgical skin prep studies were limited in providing empirical evidence to support one superior prep agent.