Irrigation of traumatic lacerations in the ED: Evidence on tap water as an alternative to Sterile Saline - A scoping review.

Annik Irving, Mary-Neil Hodl, Evan Wade, Bea Calvert, Kerstin Honer Zu Bentrup, Marc Futernick, Ann-Christine Duhaime

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in The journal of climate change and health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Annik IrvingTulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Mary-Neil HodlTulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Evan WadeTulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Bea CalvertRudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States.

Kerstin Honer Zu BentrupTulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Marc FuternickUS Acute Care Solutions, 4535 Dressler Rd NW, Canton, OH 44718, USA.

Ann-Christine DuhaimeHarvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Wound irrigation in the Emergency Department is essential for preventing infection in traumatic lacerations. While sterile saline is widely considered to be the standard solution of choice, tap water may offer a safe, cost-effective, and resource-conscious alternative. Methods: We conducted a scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus through October 2024 identified 913 records; 27 studies met inclusion criteria (RCTs, observational studies, systematic reviews). Results: Across included studies, infection rates did not differ significantly between tap water and sterile saline (pooled risk difference of -0.3% [95% CI: -1.2 to +0.6; Conclusions: Tap water appears to be a safe, effective, and economical alternative for irrigating uncomplicated lacerations in ED settings. Future research should prioritize standardized protocols, controlled trials, and implementation strategies to optimize wound care and reduce resource burden.

Indexed as

Emergency departmentHealthcare Resource UtilizationInfection PreventionLaceration managementTap waterWound irrigation

Identifiers

PMID42028001

DOI10.1016/j.joclim.2026.100671

PMCPMC13101608

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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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.