Trial reportBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2009
Does single application of topical chloramphenicol to high risk sutured wounds reduce incidence of wound infection after minor surgery? Prospective randomised placebo controlled double blind trial.
Trial report in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 75 citations in OpenAlex.
- Guideline for the Comprehensive Perioperative Management of Older Patients With Lung Cancer (2025).Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2026Guideline
- Effect of topical antibiotics on the prevention and management of wound infections: A meta-analysis.International wound journal · 2023Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Dressings for the prevention of surgical site infection.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Topical antibiotics for preventing surgical site infection in wounds healing by primary intention.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Efficacy of topical moxifloxacin on therapeutic laparoscopy-induced wound healing: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.BMC surgery · 2025Trial
- Alcoholic versus aqueous chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis: the AVALANCHE trial.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2017Trial
- Trial
- Ophthalmic dispensing patterns in New Zealand: a ten-year review.Eye (London, England) · 2026Article
- Oral flora of domestic cats in Hong Kong: Identification of antibiotic-resistant strains.Veterinary medicine and science · 2023Article
- Feasibility Study for a Randomised Controlled Trial for the Topical Treatment of Impetigo in Australian General Practice.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2021Article
- Effect of a Single Preoperative Dose of Oral Antibiotic to Reduce the Incidence of Surgical Site Infection Following Below-Knee Dermatological Flap and Graft Repair.Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2019Article
- A systematic review and meta-analysis on the use of prophylactic topical antibiotics for the prevention of uncomplicated wound infections.Infection and drug resistance · 2018Review
- Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis.Australian prescriber · 2017Review
- Application of Materials as Medical Devices with Localized Drug Delivery Capabilities for Enhanced Wound Repair.Progress in materials science · 2017Article
- Topical antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after minor surgery in primary care.Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2017Article
- Retrospective Clinical Trial of Fusidic Acid versus Petrolatum in the Postprocedure Care of Clean Dermatologic Procedures.Annals of dermatology · 2015Article
- IPNs from Cyclodextrin:Chitosan Antioxidants: Bonding, Bio-Adhesion, Antioxidant Capacity and Drug Release.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2014Article
- Potentials of chitosan-based delivery systems in wound therapy: bioadhesion study.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2012Article
- Minor surgery activity in primary care.JRSM short reports · 2010Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine the effectiveness of a single application of topical chloramphenicol ointment in preventing wound infection after minor dermatological surgery.
designProspective randomised placebo controlled double blind multicentre trial.
settingPrimary care in a regional centre in Queensland, Australia.
participants972 minor surgery patients.
interventionsA single topical dose of chloramphenicol (n=488) or paraffin ointment (n=484; placebo).
main outcome measureIncidence of infection.
resultsThe incidence of infection in the chloramphenicol group (6.6%; 95% confidence interval 4.9 to 8.8) was significantly lower than that in the control group (11.0%; 7.9 to 15.1) (P=0.010). The absolute reduction in infection rate was 4.4%, the relative reduction was 40%, and the relative risk of wound infection in the control group was 1.7 (95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.5) times higher than in the intervention group. The number needed to treat was 22.8.
conclusionApplication of a single dose of topical chloramphenicol to high risk sutured wounds after minor surgery produces a moderate absolute reduction in infection rate that is statistically but not clinically significant. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN73223053.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.