667 THE EFFECT OF TRIPLE DYE ON SHEDDING OF THE UMBILICAL CORD

Abstract

Triple dye is commonly applied to the umbilical cord of newborns to decrease the incidence of bacterial infection and colonization. We examined the time of umbilical cord separation in 100 full term infants and 52 premature infants whose cords had been treated with a single application of triple dye. The preterm infants' mean birthweight was 1856 gm. and mean gestational age 33.5 wks. The umbilical cords had not been manipulated for a procedure. There were no anomalies of the umbilical cord in this series. In the term infants the mean age of cord separation for males was 12.2 days and for females was 11.9 days. In the premature group the mean age for both males and females was 11.5 days. Several previous studies have shown that in the absence of triple dye use, 80% of the umbilical cords were shed on or before the 8th day of life. Less than 5% of the cords were shed beyond 10 days. 56% of our full term infants and 63% of the preterm infants shed the umbilical cord beyond 10 days. A recent study (Hayward A et al, Lancet 1979 1:1099) reported delayed separation of the umbilical in association with defective neutrophil mobility. This data suggests that triple dye may prevent bacterial colonization and perhaps remove the antigenic stimulation for neutrophil chemotaxis to the umbilical cord.