NaCl vs Distilled Water in Wound Healing – Is Traditional Wound Care Still Effective?
Summary: This in vivo experimental study on 27 Wistar rats compared daily irrigation with 0.9% NaCl versus distilled water (aquadest) on full-thickness wounds. Distilled water demonstrated statistically significant improvements in re-epithelialisation, granulation tissue formation, and reduction in inflammation compared to NaCl. Results challenge the long-held standard of normal saline and suggest distilled water as a safe, low-cost, and potentially more effective alternative for wound irrigation.
Key Highlights:
- Distilled water superior for re-epithelialisation (p=0.018) and granulation (p=0.022)
- Significant reduction in inflammatory response with aquadest (p=0.039)
- NaCl showed no statistically significant benefits across parameters
- Supports reconsideration of traditional saline as the default irrigant
Keywords: distilled water wound irrigation, NaCl wound healing, wound irrigation