Could your skin prep trigger anaphylaxis?
Chlorhexidine anaphylaxis - check before you prep!
Chlorhexidine is well-known to dermatologists as a type IV contact sensitiser where it can produce eczema, particularly when chlorhexidine-containing creams and dressings have been repetitively applied to the skin.
A much more serious and increasingly recognised problem with chlorhexidine is type I allergy producing chlorhexidine anaphylaxis.
Chlorhexidine is used extensively both for preoperative skin preparation and also in mucosal products such as mouthwashes, and in combination with local anaesthetics for urethral lubrication prior to catheterisation.
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