Higher Surgical Site Infection Rates Research Articles

Variability in infection surveillance methods and impact on surgical site infection rates

The impact of variability in infection surveillance methodologies on publicly reported rates of surgical site infection (SSI) is not well defined. We performed a cross-sectional study to assess infection preventionists' surveillance practices across acute care US hospitals. We collected self-reported annual facility standardized infection ratios for colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomy as provided by the National Healthcare Safety Network. Trend analysis using Kendall's rank correlation evaluated the association between surveillance rigor and SSI rates. Among 492 participating hospitals, 63%, 15%, 13%, and 8% were community, university-affiliated, critical access, and ambulatory surgical centers, respectively. Most critical access hospitals (82%) and ambulatory surgical centers (98%) reported less than one full time infection preventionists (P ≤ .001). University-affiliated medical centers spent significantly more time and used more data sources for monthly SSI review compared with other hospitals. Critical access hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers were more likely to rely on manual surveillance only (P < .001). The number of different data sources used for SSI surveillance was positively associated with higher SSI rates: (KT 0.14, P = .028 for colon SSI in 2017; KT 0.20, P = .009 for hysterectomy SSI in 2016; KT 0.25, P = .001 for hysterectomy SSI in 2017). Rigorous SSI surveillance using more data sources for case-finding is more likely to be associated with higher facility SSI rates for colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomy.

The application of evidence-based bundle approach to reduce surgical site infection in geriatric hip fracture patients: A single centre experience

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, prolongation on length of hospital stay and cost of community healthcare. In 2010 and 2012, our centre experienced an unexpectedly high rate of SSI in geriatric hip fracture patients with hemiarthroplasty done. A multifaceted intervention programme – ‘bundle approach’ – consisting of preoperative microbiological screening, perioperative measures and postoperative wound care was implemented. Method: Preoperative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening was implemented. Intravenous vancomycin was given as prophylactic antibiotic of choice in those patients with positive MRSA screening. All patients will be bathed with chlorhexidine lotion 1 day before operation or on the day of operation. Standardized protocol of surgical site disinfection was implemented: a stringent first stage povidone-iodine disinfection, second stage waterproof extremity draping and sterile plastic sheet wrapping of non-surgical region and third stage ChloraPrep, followed by circumferential iodophor-impregnated plastic adhesive drape (‘Ioban’) covering the hip and thigh region. The surgical wound was dressed with Aquacel adhesive tape after wound closure. Results: The total numbers of infected cases were 17 from 2008 to 2012 and 9 from 2013 to 2018 (first quarter). The rates of infection were 7.02% from 2008 to 2012 and 3.16% from 2013 to 2018 (first quarter). There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of infected cases of hemiarthroplasty after the implementation of bundle approach ( p = 0.0411). Discussion: The bundle approach showed to achieve an effective and sustained decrease in SSI for the geriatric hip fracture patients.

The impact of copper impregnated wound dressings on surgical site infection following caesarean section: a double blind randomised controlled study

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of copper impregnated wound dressings on the surgical site infection (SSI) rate following caesarean section (CS). DesignSingle centre double blind randomised controlled trial. ParticipantsWomen aged 18 years or over who had a CS. InterventionsAll women were randomised to receive either a copper-oxide impregnated wound dressing (study group) or a non-copper wound dressing (control group). Main outcome measuresThe primary study outcome was the incidence of SSI within a 30-day period from CS, assessed via a telephone questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, and readmission rate. Results324 women were enrolled in the study of whom 159 were randomised to the study group and 165 to the control group. The follow up rate was 97.5%. A total of 78 women (24.1%) developed an SSI within 30 days following CS; 29 (18.2%) in the study group and 49 (29.7%) controls (P = 0.037, relative risk reduction (RRR) of 38.7%). The incidence of superficial/deep SSI was not significantly different (24.2% vs. 17.6%, P = 0.257), however a significant relative risk reduction of 80.3% for Organ/Space SSI was observed in the study group (12.7% vs. 2.5%, P = 0.002). Length of hospital stay, and readmission rate did not vary significantly between groups. ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate a significant reduction in SSI rates following CS with the use of copper impregnated wound dressings. The high SSI rate confirms the importance of new strategies to reduce the infection rate. Copper is a natural remedy which could potentially reduce hospital acquired infections without the use of antibiotics and its associated risks of antibiotic resistance.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of three methods of surgical-site infection surveillance: Less is more

A considerable proportion of surgical site infections (SSI) could be prevented by surveillance. The study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of 3 methods of SSI surveillance: Inpatient, phone, and out-patient clinic (OPC); to ensure that the risk of SSI is independent from loss-to-follow-up in phone and OPC surveillances, and to determine the reliability of phone surveillance. A cohort of 351 surgical patients were followed by 3 different surveillance methods: inpatient, follow-up in OPC and over the phone. Costs of nurse time and phone calls were expressed in 2019 USD. Effectiveness of surveillance was assessed using number of detected SSIs. Phone surveillance was more cost-effective than OPC surveillance. Compared to inpatient surveillance, the OPC method costs USD 15.6 per extra detected SSI, whereas the phone method costs only USD 4.6 In phone and OPC surveillances, the risk of SSI was independent of loss-to-follow-up. However, the higher rate of SSI among OPC attendees raises the suspicion that the incidence of SSI estimated by OPC surveillance could be biased upward. Phone surveillance was reliable with high sensitivity and specificity. Phone surveillance was a reliable cost-effective method. Inpatient surveillance was less effective, but it still can be used to detect severe SSI at low cost. While out-patient-clinic surveillance had the highest cost, the incidence estimated by it might be biased upward.

Surgical site infection rate is higher following hip and knee arthroplasty when cefazolin is underdosed

While many guidelines recommend higher doses of cefazolin for patients with higher body weights, there are scant outcome data showing the benefit of higher doses. Surgical site infection (SSI) rates by dose of cefazolin used for surgical prophylaxis after hip or knee arthroplasty were analyzed. Analysis of patient data entered into New Zealand's national, prospective, surveillance and quality improvement SSI Improvement Programme database for the period July 2013 through December 2017 was conducted. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network SSI definitions were used, and patients were followed for 90 days after surgery. Underdosing was defined as use of 1 g of cefazolin in patients weighing 80 kg or more or a cefazolin dose of <3 g in those weighing 120 kg or more. There were 38,288 procedures where cefazolin was used for prophylaxis; patient body weight was known for all these procedures. Of the 1,840 patients who received 1 g of cefazolin, 676 (37%) weighed 80 kg or more. Of the 2,011 patients weighing 120 kg or more, 1,464 (73%) were underdosed. After multivariable analysis, male gender, higher total surgical risk scores, performance of revision and hip arthroplasties, and cefazolin underdosing were associated with higher SSI rates. For the 2,106 underdosed patients, the odds ratio for SSI was 2.19 (95% confidence interval, 1.61-2.99; P < 0.0001). The number of higher-weight patients needed to treat to prevent 1 SSI was 83, with an estimated cost of <NZ$500 to prevent 1 infection costing an estimated NZ$40,000. Patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty and with weights of ≥80 kg and those with weights of ≥120 kg should receive cefazolin doses of 2 g and ≥3 g, respectively, for SSI prophylaxis. The question of whether a dose of ≥4 g is needed in patients weighing 120 kg or more or who are above a given body mass index threshold (eg, >35 kg/m2 or >40 kg/m2) remains unanswered.

A prospective study on bacteriological profile and antibiogram of postoperative wound infections in a tertiary care hospital in Western Rajasthan.

Background:Surgical site infections (SSI) are one of the most common hospital-acquired infections worldwide. SSI are known to increase morbidity, mortality, length of stay in hospital as well as the cost of treatment to the patients. The incidence varies from 1% to 20% among developed countries to as high as 40% in developing world.Aims:To find the incidence and risk factors, bacteriological profile, and antibiogram for SSI in General Surgery department of a tertiary care hospital in Western Rajasthan.Methods:Culture and sensitivity of wounds of all the clinically suspected cases of SSI were taken. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility were performed according to standard CLSI guidelines. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel, SPSS 13 software.Results:Among total 609 patients, 102 were clinically suspected SSI and 88 were culture positive. Incidence of SSI was 14.45%. The most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Most of the Gram-positive isolates were resistant to penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics and were moderately susceptible to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Gram-negative isolates were resistant to beta-lactam and beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination also but were susceptible to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and carbapenems.Results:Among total 609 patients, 102 were clinically suspected SSI and 88 were culture positive. Incidence of SSI was 14.45%. The most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Most of the Gram-positive isolates were resistant to penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics and were moderately susceptible to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Gram-negative isolates were resistant to beta-lactam and beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination also but were susceptible to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and carbapenems.Conclusion:High incidence rate of SSI in our setup emphasizes the need of quality surgical care which takes into consideration all the three important factors, i.e. host, environmental, and microorganism characteristics before doing any surgery. Increasing resistance to commonly used antibiotics warrants the judicious use of antibiotics and establishment of antibiotic policy in the hospital.

Prospective Creation and Validation of the PREVENTT (Prediction and Enaction of Prevention Treatments Trigger) Scale for Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) in Patients With Diverticulitis.

Create and validate diverticulitis surgical site infection prediction scale. Surgical site infections cause significant morbidity after colorectal surgery. An infection prediction scale could target infection prevention bundles to high-risk patients. Prospectively collected National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and electronic medical record data obtained on diverticulitis colectomy patients across a Healthcare Network-wide Colorectal Surgery Collaborative (5 hospitals). Patients with and without surgical site infections were compared. Predictive variables were identified using logistic regression model; model estimates obtained through 1000 bootstrap replications for scale validation. A total of 1737 colectomies were performed (2010-2016): mean age 59.9 years (SD 12.7), 56.4% female; 93.4% Caucasian; smokers 16.3%, diabetics 7.7%, steroid use 6.0%. Two hundred thirty-one (13.3%) were presented to operating room emergently and 138 (7.9%) with abscess at time of disease admission. Two hundred ninety-six patients underwent Hartman procedures, and 113 (6.5%) received diverted primary anastomosis. Average length of stay was 6.9 days (standard deviation 7.01), 30-day mortality was 1.5%, anastomotic leak rate was 3.1%. Twenty-one percent of patients (n = 366) developed a surgical site infection. Several predictors for infection were identified: obesity (body mass index >30), advanced age (>70 years), diabetes mellitus, preoperative abscess, open surgery, emergent operations, and prolonged operations (>3 h). Creation of protected anastomosis in emergent settings was associated with increased infection rates. Presence of more than 5 risk factors was associated with infection rates of 45.8% (c = 0.69). Patients with diverticulitis have high surgical site infection rates due to nonmodifiable risk factors. Our Prediction and Enaction of Prevention Treatments Trigger scale can risk stratify patients for targeting surgical site infection prevention bundles and outcomes risk adjustments.

Effects of intraoperative temperatures on postoperative infections in infants and neonates

BackgroundPerioperative hypothermia has been shown to increase surgical site infection (SSI) rates in adults. We sought to characterize whether intraoperative hypothermia or hyperthermia is associated with postoperative infections in infants. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of patients ≤6 months old who underwent surgical procedures from November 2013 to October 2015 at a Level I ACS Children's Surgical Center. The outcome was infections within 30 days after operation, with particular attention to SSI. Data obtained included weight and age at surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physiologic status, wound class, case length, blood transfusion within 72 h of surgery, and administration of prophylactic antibiotics. Temperatures were classified as hypothermia (T < 36 °C), normothermia (T = 36.0 to 37.9 °C), and hyperthermia (T ≥ 38 °C). ResultsThe 885 patients had 25 SSIs (2.8%) and 11 nonsurgical site infections (1.2%). On univariate analysis, weight at surgery, higher ASA, perioperative transfusions, and longer case length were associated with higher rate of SSI. Higher median Thigh, higher median T low, and any hyperthermia were associated with higher rate of SSI. On multivariable logistic regression adjusted analyses, hyperthermia at any time during the case was associated with SSI (OR 3.47, [95% CI 1.34, 9.04], p = 0.011). Transfusions were also associated with higher SSI rates (OR 3.60 [95% CI, 1.28, 10.3], p = 0.016). ConclusionsIntraoperative hyperthermia is associated with increased SSI rates in infants. Level of EvidenceIII.

1235. A Survey of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Surveillance Practices in US Hospitals, and their Association with SSI Rates

BackgroundCurrent US hospital reimbursement models rely on self-reported SSI rates. The impact of variability in SSI surveillance on publicly reported SSI rates is unknown.MethodsCross-sectional survey to US hospitals administered during November 18 – 2/19 through the Association for Professionals in Infection Control. We assessed SSI surveillance practices, and asked for self-reported facility standardized infection ratios (SIR) for hysterectomy and colon surgeries. We performed bivariate analysis and used Kendall’s ranks correlation for trend analysis.ResultsOf the 2,851 hospitals surveyed, 491 (17.2%) responded. Table 1 shows facility descriptors. Critical Access Hospitals (OR 6.11 [3.12 – 11.750, P < 0.005) and Ambulatory Surgical Centers (OR 3.92 [1.68 – 8.64], P < 0.001) were more likely to have less than one full-time ICP. University Hospitals were more likely to have ≥4 ICPs (OR 12.15 [6.73 – 22.04, P < 0.001). The majority (83%) of the 477 respondents reported electronic software for SSI surveillance, with Epic (23%), Theradoc (22%), and Cerner (11%) as the most common packages used. Manual surveillance was more likely for Critical Access Hospitals (OR 2.80 [1.47 – 5.19], P < 0.001). University Hospitals were more likely to have higher rates in 2016 for colon surgery (P = 0.02) and hysterectomy (P = 0.002). Table 2 shows characteristics of SSI surveillance practices reported by study participants. Ambulatory Surgical Center ICPs were more likely to use reports from surgeons and/or surgical staff as the initial trigger for SSI surveillance. University Hospital ICPs were significantly more likely to spend increased time (mean hours/month 69.77 vs. 28.99, P < 0.001), and to use more data sources for SSI review (mean 4.58 vs. 3.99, P = 0.001). In our trend analyses, we found the number of data sources used for SSI surveillance to be positively associated with higher SSI rates: (KT =0.14, P = 0.028 for colon SIR in 2017; KT = 0.20, P = 0.009; KT = 0.25, P = 0.001 for hysterectomy SIR in 2016 and 2017, respectively).ConclusionSSI surveillance practices across US hospitals vary significantly, and rigorous surveillance methods are associated with higher SSI rates. Standardizing SSI surveillance is necessary to accurately capture SSI burden of disease. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Associations Between Social Risk Factors and Surgical Site Infections After Colectomy and Abdominal Hysterectomy

Surgical site infection (SSI) is an important patient safety outcome. Although social risk factors have been linked to many adverse health outcomes, it is unknown whether such factors are associated with higher rates of SSI. To determine whether social risk factors, including race/ethnicity, insurance status, and neighborhood income, are associated with higher rates of SSI after colectomy or abdominal hysterectomy, 2 surgical procedures for which SSI rates are publicly reported and included in pay-for-performance programs by Medicare and other groups. This cross-sectional study analyzed adults undergoing colectomy or abdominal hysterectomy, as captured in State Inpatient Databases for Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Vermont. Operations were performed in 2013 through 2014 at general acute care hospitals in the United States. Data analysis was conducted from October 2018 through June 2019. Colectomy or hysterectomy. Postoperative complex SSI rates. A total of 149 741 patients met the inclusion criteria, including 90 210 patients undergoing colectomies (mean [SD] age, 63.4 [15.6] years; 49 029 [54%] female; 74% white, 11% black, 9% Hispanic, and 5% other or unknown race/ethnicity) and 59 531 patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomies (mean [SD] age, 49.8 [11.8] years; 100% female; 52% white, 26% black, 14% Hispanic, and 8% other or unknown race/ethnicity). In the colectomy cohort, 34% had private insurance, 52% had Medicare, 9% had Medicaid, and 5% had other or unknown insurance or were uninsured; 24% were from the lowest quartile of median zip code income. In the hysterectomy cohort, 57% had private insurance, 16% had Medicare, 19% had Medicaid, and 3% had other or unknown insurance or were uninsured; 27% were from the lowest-income zip codes. Within 30 days of surgery, SSI rates were 2.55% for the colectomy cohort and 0.61% for the hysterectomy cohort. For colectomy, black race (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61-0.82) was associated with lower odds of SSI, whereas Medicare (AOR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10-1.41), Medicaid (AOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.06-1.44), and low neighborhood income (AOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29) were associated with higher odds of SSI. For hysterectomy, no social risk factors that were examined in this study had statistically significant associations with SSI after adjustment for clinical risk. Inconsistent associations between social risk factors and SSIs were found. For colectomy, infection prevention programs targeting low-income groups may be important for reducing disparities in this postoperative outcome, and policy makers could consider taking social risk factors into account when evaluating hospital performance.

Diabetic Control Predicts Surgical Site Infection Risk in Orthopaedic Trauma Patients.

(1) To determine the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in diabetic orthopaedic trauma patients and (2) to establish a protocol for managing diabetes mellitus (DM) in orthopaedic trauma patients. Retrospective cohort study. Level 1 Trauma Center. All diabetic orthopaedic trauma patients who underwent surgical intervention with at least 1 month follow-up. Patients were classified as poorly controlled or controlled diabetic patients based on admission hemoglobin A1c and blood glucose (BG) levels. Orthopaedic surgical intervention in accordance with fracture type and a standardized diabetes management protocol with internal medicine comanagement. SSI incidence. There were 260 patients during the study period. Two hundred two (77.7%) were included in the final analysis. Seventy-five (37.1%) patients met the criteria for poorly controlled DM. The overall rate of SSI was 20.8%; 32.0% for poorly controlled diabetic patients, and 14.2% for controlled diabetic patients (P < 0.01). The admission blood glucose level (BG, P = 0.05), but not discharge BG, was associated with SSI incidence. Trauma patients with poorly controlled DM have a higher rate of SSIs than patients with controlled DM. Perioperative diabetes control does not seem to decrease infection rates in these patients. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Double-blind randomized clinical trial of vancomycin in spinal arthrodesis: no effects on surgical site infection.

Surgical site infection (SSI) results in high morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing spinal fusion. Using intravenous antibiotics in anesthesia induction reduces the rate of postoperative infection, but it is not common practice to use them topically, despite recent reports that this procedure helps reduce infection. The objective of this study was to determine whether the topical use of vancomycin reduces the rate of postoperative SSI in patients undergoing thoracolumbar fusion. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial in a single hospital was performed comparing vancomycin and placebo in thoracolumbar fusion patients. A total of 96 patients were randomized to placebo or vancomycin treatment. The mean patient age was 43 ± 14.88 years, 74% were male, and the most common etiology was fall from height (46.9%). The overall rate of postoperative SSI was 8.3%, and no difference was found between the groups: postoperative infection rates in the vancomycin and placebo groups were 8.2% and 8.5% (relative risk [RR] of SSI not using vancomycin 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-3.93, p = 0.951), respectively. Patients with diabetes mellitus had higher SSI rates (RR 8.98, 95% CI 1.81-44.61, p = 0.007). This is the first double-blind randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effects of topical vancomycin on postoperative infection rates in thoracolumbar fusion patients, and the results did not differ significantly from placebo.Clinical trial registration no.: RBR-57wppt (ReBEC; http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/).

Is it the technique or wound protection that is key to reducing wound infections in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures?

An unusually high surgical site infection (SSI) rate after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) was noted on routine outcomes review. Surgeon A, who had a rate of 8.9%, utilized the transoral technique (passage down esophagus into gastric pouch) for anvil insertion for the circular-stapled gastrojejunostomy. By comparison, SSI rate was 0% for Surgeon B, who inserted anvil transabdominally (direct passage into stomach via gastrotomy) and used wound protection (wound protector and plastic drape over stapler). We sought to determine if it was the technique for anvil insertion (transoral or transabdominal) or use of wound protection that could help reduce SSIs. In mid-2017, Surgeon A added wound protection (wound protector and plastic drape over stapler) to the transoral technique to minimize oral flora wound contamination. Surgeon B made no changes. In this study, wound-related outcomes are examined, comparing patients who underwent surgery before (Group 1) versus after (Group 2) this intervention. Statistical analysis performed utilizing t tests and Chi square analysis; p < 0.05 considered significant. Three hundred and thirty-three patients underwent RYGB. Group 1 consisted of 182 patients over 17months; 151 patients over 13months were in Group 2. Groups were similar in age, BMI, gender, and prevalence of diabetes. There was a decrease in SSIs between Group 1 and Group 2 (5 vs. 0, p = 0.04). 11 wound complications occurred in Group 1 (5 SSIs, 4 seromas and 2 hematomas); whereas 2 wound complications occurred in Group 2 (1 seroma and 1 hematoma); decrease from 6 to 1.3%, p = 0.03. This study demonstrates that changing technique can lead to best outcomes. There was a dramatic reduction of wound complications and complete elimination of SSIs with a change in operative technique. The higher risk of SSI with the transoral anvil insertion when preforming a circular-stapled anastomosis can be mitigated with use of wound protection.

ANTIBIOPROPHYLAXIS AND ANTIBIOTHERAPY IN ABDOMINAL SURGERY – SHORT REVIEW

Surgical site infection (SSI) represents a concerning for all surgeons because both the unfavorable impact on health care costs and risk factors that increase the durations of wound healing and SSI rate. A review of PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar has been made. The keywords used were related to surgical site infection prevetion. SSIs have a raised incidence in abdominal surgery because of the fact that many types of bacterias live in the gastrointestinal tract and during a surgical procedure some may escape and cause an infection. There is a high risk of postoperatory infections in gastric surgery due to intestinal anastomoses which are predisposed to leakage. In hernia repair surgery there is a higher rate of SSIs than expected for a clean procedure, and one risk factor may be represented by the prosthetic device used. On the other hand, in laparoscopic cholecystectomy, there is a very low risk of SSI and antibioprophylaxis is not recommended. But the most contaminated procedure with the highest risk of infectious complications is colorectal surgery, which requieres a combination of antibiotics because of the numerous types of microorganism. Abdominal surgery comprises different techniques and involves most elements of the gastrointestinal tract. Some procedures need antibiotic prophylaxis and in others antibiotic administration is even prohibited. The most effective antibiotics are first and second-generation cephalosporins.

What’s New in Orthopaedic Trauma

What’s New in Orthopaedic Trauma

Systematic review of the use of cyanoacrylate glue in addition to standard wound closure in the prevention of surgical site infection.

Surgical site infection (SSI) is associated with increased morbidity, length of stay, and cost. Cyanoacrylate glue is a low-cost, fluid-proof, antimicrobial barrier. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the use of cyanoacrylate glue after standard wound closure versus dressings in the reduction of SSI. Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinical trial registries were searched with no restrictions in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Eligibility criteria were prospective studies comparing glue versus dressings after standardised wound closure. Two reviewers independently screened articles and utilised GRADE for quality assessment. Meta-analysis was not performed because of the heterogeneity of the data. Three articles were included in the review. Study quality was uniformly low. Incidence of SSI was low, between 0% and 4%. No significant differences were reported in the single randomised controlled trial. A single non-randomised parallel group trial reported a significant reduction in the incidence of SSI in the cyanoacrylate group. There was no consistent evidence demonstrating reduction in SSI as a result of the use of cyanoacrylate glue. Future studies should assess the use of cyanoacrylate in procedures with a higher rate of SSI, for example, lower limb bypass.

Occurrence of Surgical Site Infections at a Tertiary Healthcare Facility in Abuja, Nigeria: A Prospective Observational Study

Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most frequent complications of surgical interventions. Several factors have been identified as major determinants of occurrence of SSIs. The present study determined the occurrence and possible risk factors associated with SSIs at a tertiary healthcare facility in Abuja, Nigeria. All patients scheduled for operation in the hospital during the study period and who consented to participate willingly in the study were observed prospectively for the occurrence of SSI based on criteria stipulated by the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, surgical procedure and co-morbidity were collected into a pre-tested data collection tool and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics software v.24. Predictors of SSIs were identified using multivariate logistic regression model and p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the 127 surgical patients that met the inclusion criteria comprising 65 (51.2%) females and 62 (48.8%) males between 1 and 83 years with mean age of 25.64 ± 1.66 years, 35 (27.56%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.205–0.360) developed SSIs. Prolonged post-operative hospital stays (p < 0.05), class of wound (p < 0.0001) and some comorbid conditions were found to be significantly associated with higher SSI rate. The SSI rate was highest among patients that had Kirschner-wire insertion (75.0%), followed by an unexpectedly high infection rate among patients that had mastectomy (42.9%), while lower percentages (33.3%) were recorded among patients that had exploratory laparotomy and appendicectomy. The overall magnitude of SSIs in this facility is high (27.6%; 95% CI: 0.205–0.360). Several factors were found to be independent predictors of occurrence of SSI. The findings thus highlight the need for improved surveillance of SSIs and review of infection control policies of the hospital.

Impact of preoperative biliary drainage on postoperative outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy: An analysis of 1500 consecutive cases.

Implications of preoperative biliary drain on morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy are still controversial. The present study aims to assess the impact of preoperative biliary drain on postoperative outcome and to define optimal serum bilirubin cut-off to recommend biliary drainage in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy. All consecutive pancreatoduodenectomies carried out at Verona Hospital from 2005 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The study population was divided into three groups: preoperative biliary drained (Stented Group), preoperative jaundice without drainage (Jaundiced Group) and the control group of non-jaundiced, non-stented patients (Control Group). A total of 1500 patients were included. Seven hundred and fourteen patients (47.6%) received biliary drain (stented group), 258 (17.2%) patients did not (jaundiced group) and 528 (35.2%) patients represented the (control group). Major complications and mortality rates did not differ between groups. Conversely, the risk of developing surgical site infections doubled in the stented group (18.1%) (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.5-2.8). In jaundiced patients, a preoperative bilirubin value greater than 7.5 mg/dL (128 μmol/L) accurately predicted the likelihood of postoperative complications. Preoperative biliary drain does not increase major complications and mortality rates after pancreatoduodenectomy, but it is associated with higher surgical site infection rates. In jaundiced patients, a bilirubin value greater than 7.5 mg/dL (128 μmol/L) should indicate biliary drainage.

Risk factors for surgical site infection following spinal instrumentation surgery.

In spinal instrumentation surgeries, surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the complications to be avoided. However, spinal instrumentation surgeries have a higher rate of SSI than other clean orthopedic surgeries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors for SSI following spinal instrumentation surgeries and contribute to the prevention of SSIs by identifying high-risk patients. Records of 431 patients who underwent spinal instrumentation surgeries from 2011 to 2014 with a minimum follow-up period of 90 days were retrospectively reviewed. Associations of SSI with various preoperative, operative, and postoperative factors were statistically analyzed with univariate and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis. Deep or superficial SSIs were observed in 15 patients (3.5%). Univariate analysis revealed significant association of SSI with diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-14.4; p=0.012) and serum albumin ≤3.5g/dl (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.1-10.38, p=0.012). The number of regular medications prescribed in patients with SSI (8.2±5.4) was significantly more than that in patients without SSI (3.8±4.4) (p=0.001), and the cut-off value of the number of medications was 7, as derived from receiver operating characteristics analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the number of regular medications ≥7 was an independent risk factor significantly associated with SSIs (OR 7.3, 95% CI 2.3-24.0, p=0.001). Our study demonstrated that an important risk factor for SSI after spinal instrumentation surgery was number of regular medications≥7. Number of regular medications is a simple and valuable risk index for SSI, which reflects the influence of medications and comorbidities.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Alcohol-based Preparations for Surgical Site Antisepsis in Colorectal Surgery.

To compare 2 alcohol-based, dual-action skin preparations for surgical site infection (SSI) prevention in elective colorectal surgery. Colorectal surgery is associated with the highest SSI rate among elective surgical procedures. Although evidence indicates that alcohol-based skin preparations are superior in SSI prevention, it is not clear if different alcohol-based preparations are equivalent in clean-contaminated colorectal procedures. We performed a blinded, randomized, noninferiority trial comparing iodine povacrylex-alcohol (IPA) and chlorhexidine-alcohol for elective, clean-contaminated colorectal surgery. The primary outcome was the presence or absence of SSI, defined as superficial or deep SSI, within 30 days postdischarge. A 6.6% noninferiority margin was chosen. Between January 2011 and January 2015, 802 patients were randomized with 788 patients included in the intent to treat analysis (396 IPA and 392 chlorhexidine-alcohol). The difference in overall SSI rate between IPA (18.7%) and chlorhexidine-alcohol (15.9%) was 2.8% (P = 0.30). The upper bound of the 2.5% confidence interval of this difference was 8.9%, which is greater than the prespecified noninferiority margin of 6.6%. Other endpoints, including individual SSI types, time to SSI diagnosis, and length of stay were not different between the 2 arms. In patients undergoing elective, clean contaminated colorectal surgery, the use of IPA failed to meet criterion for noninferiority for overall SSI prevention compared with chlorhexidine-alcohol. Photodocumentation of wounds and rigorous tracking of outcomes up to 30 days postdischarge contributed to high fidelity to current standard SSI descriptions and wound classifications.