Reduction Of Surgical Site Infections Research Articles

54: Does a surgical site infection reduction bundle reduce racial disparities in infection after cesarean delivery?

54: Does a surgical site infection reduction bundle reduce racial disparities in infection after cesarean delivery?

Commentary: Chlorhexidine Showers are Associated With a Reduction in Surgical Site Infection Following Spine Surgery: An Analysis of 4266 Consecutive Surgeries.

Commentary: Chlorhexidine Showers are Associated With a Reduction in Surgical Site Infection Following Spine Surgery: An Analysis of 4266 Consecutive Surgeries.

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.

2136. Systematic Review of Surgical Wound Class Reveals Marked Service-Related Discrepancies and Can Improve Appropriateness of Classification Impacting the Expected Number of Infections and the Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR)

BackgroundDuring surgical operations, surgical wounds are classified according to the wound classification system (I—clean; II—clean/contaminated; III—contaminated; and IV—dirty). Accuracy in assessing the degree of wound contamination is crucial since it greatly impacts the risk of a surgical site infection (SSI). Thus, wound classifications (WC) are determinant in calculating the expected number of SSIs. At our institution we suspected that surgical wounds were not always accurately classified, and were skewed toward under-classifying wound class. This contributed to incorrect and reduced expected SSIs and an inflated SSI Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR).MethodsAn independent team reviewed 273 surgical cases from our top priority SSI reduction areas: Prosthetic knees (KPRO), coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG), abdominal hysterectomies (HYST) and colorectal surgery (COLO). Whenever there was discordance in surgeon vs. review team WC, an arbitrator reviewed the case with the surgeon and corrected misclassified cases as appropriate. Reclassifications were documented in the medical record as well as in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system.ResultsFigure 1 shows all WC reviews. Overall, 14% of all surgeries were misclassified and 95% of misclassifications were under-classifications. Appropriateness of WC varied widely by surgical service, with 100% concordant WC for KPRO, while 9% of HYST and CABG were misclassified, and fully 38% of COLOs were misclassified (Figure 1). These errors led to under predicting expected SSIs and, if not corrected, would have a measurable impact on our SSI SIR.ConclusionThe inaccurate classifications vary by service/surgery, but in COLO we found them to be common and overwhelmingly skewed toward under-classification, which had a measurable impact on the number of expected SSIs and on SSI SIR. Focusing efforts on surgeries more prone to misclassification (such as COLO rather than KPRO) may be a worthwhile focused quality improvement effort. Disclosures J. P. Parada, Merck: Speaker’s Bureau, Speaker honorarium.

111. Increasing Duration of Surgical Prophylaxis Increases Antimicrobial-Associated Adverse Events but Does Not Decrease Surgical Site Infections: An Opportunity for Stewardship

BackgroundThe benefits of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis are limited to the first 24 hours postoperatively. However, little is known about the harms associated with prophylaxis lasting for greater than 24 hours. Thus, we sought to characterize the relationship between duration of prophylaxis and key post-operative outcomes, including surgical site infections (SSI), acute kidney injuries (AKI), and C. difficile infections (CDI) using a large, multi-center national cohort.MethodsAll patients who underwent cardiac, orthopedic total joint, vascular, and colorectal procedures and who received planned manual review by a trained nurse reviewer for type and duration of surgical prophylaxis and for SSI within the national VA healthcare system during the period from FY08 to FY13 were included. The primary exposure variable of interest was duration of postoperative prophylaxis (<24 hours, 24–48 hours, and 48+ hours). Outcomes evaluated included SSI, AKI, and CDI. ORs were calculated using log binomial regression models adjusted for known risk factors for each clinical syndrome selected a priori.ResultsOut of a total cohort of 79,092, all patients had SSI and C. difficile outcomes available and 67,729 patients had AKI outcome available. After stratification by type of surgery and adjusting for age, sex, race, diabetes, smoking, pre-operative MRSA colonization status, mupirocin receipt, and type of prophylaxis, there was no significant association between SSI and duration of prophylaxis; longer durations did not lead to additional SSI reduction. Odds of AKI increased with each additional day of prophylaxis among cardiac and noncardiac surgeries. Similarly, the odds of C. difficile increased with each additional day of prophylaxis across all types of surgery (P < 0.01) (see figure).ConclusionIncreasing duration of postoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is associated with higher odds of AKI and C. difficile infection in a dose-dependent manner. Additional days of prophylaxis are not associated with reduced odds of SSI. These findings suggest that stewardship efforts to limit duration have the potential to reduce antimicrobial-associated adverse events without leading to increases in SSI. Disclosures K. Itani, sanofi: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. Pfizer: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient.

Reduction of surgical site infections in colorectal surgery: A 10-year experience from an independent academic medical center

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSI) are a source of patient morbidity and increased cost. In 2007, our organization discovered an SSI rate of 18% after colorectal surgery (CRS), corresponding to an ACS NSQIP benchmarked high outlier. MethodsFrom 2007 to 2016, surgeons championed a stepwise, multidisciplinary improvement pathway for SSI reduction. NSQIP was used to track SSI rates and estimate cost savings. ResultsFrom 2007 to 2016, 1508 patients underwent CRS at our facility. In 2007, our SSI rate was 18%. In 2016, the SSI rate was 7%, corresponding to a NSQIP benchmarked exemplary performance. 54 patients avoided the morbidity of a SSI. The expense of SSI reduction implementation was $180,000. Cost savings was estimated at $1.3 million. ConclusionsOur approach reduced SSI rates by 58% over ten years. We observed a significant morbidity reduction and cost savings. Our strategy could be adopted within other medical centers focused on CRS SSI improvement.

Evidence-Based Bundled Quality Improvement Intervention for Reducing Surgical Site Infection in Lower Extremity Vascular Bypass Procedures

Surgical site infection (SSI) poses a significant burden to patients and healthcare resources. Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) data identify a higher rate of SSIs for lower extremity bypass than other vascular procedures. Bundled interventions have successfully reduced SSIs in other surgical procedures. We evaluated our institution-specific VQI data for modifiable risk factors associated with index hospitalization SSI from January 2012 through October 2015. We implemented an evidence-based lower extremity bypass operation SSI reduction bundle (ie perioperative chlorhexidine showers and transverse groin incisions) and prospectively enrolled all patients who had lower extremity bypass procedures, with a target adherence rate of 50% per bundle component. Bundle adherence and SSI events were measured from March 2016 through August 2017. We carried out a pre-post evaluation of bundle effectiveness in reducing index hospitalization SSI. In the pre-intervention period, 43 of 234 (18%) patients had SSI events. The only risk factors associated with SSI (ie female sex, diabetes, overweight BMI) were not readily modifiable. In an 18-month period after introduction of our intervention, adherence rates to preoperative chlorhexidine showers, a transverse incision, and a postoperative chlorhexidine shower were 71% (52 of 73), 48% (24 of 50), and 88% (64 of 73), respectively. Compliance with all applicable bundle components was 36% (26 of 73). The SSI rate post-intervention decreased from 18% to 4% (3 of 73). Intention-to-treat multivariable analysis showed a 97% SSI risk reduction with the bundle (p= 0.002). As-treated analysis identified 85% (p= 0.02) and 62% (p= 0.047) SSI risk reductions from the preoperative and postoperative chlorhexidine showers, respectively. In this evaluation study of the effectiveness of a quality improvement intervention, SSIs were markedly decreased after implementation of our evidence-based bundle for lower extremity vascular bypass procedures.

Surgical Universal euGlycemic Attainment during Recovery (SUGAR) Initiative.

252 Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) are infections of the surgical incision or organ space within 30 days of surgery and are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare expenditures. Diabetic patients undergoing laparotomy are at high risk. Prior studies have shown SSI reduction by avoiding hyperglycemia. The aim of our Quality Improvement (QI) initiative is to reduce the SSI rate among diabetic patients undergoing laparotomy by 40% within 2 years compared to the baseline (2/2015-8/2017) rate of 16%. Methods: We formed a multi-disciplinary QI team including physicians, nurses and advanced care providers from Gynecologic Oncology, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Endocrinology, Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology. The intervention began 2/2018 in our main center and 5 satellite sites including: screening gynecologic cancer patients undergoing laparotomy with hemoglobin A1C, intra-operative glucose monitoring with goal of &lt; 180mg/dL, creation and use of a standardized basal-bolus insulin order set for post-operative care, and endocrine and nutritional consultation. The following variables were assessed: age, race, ethnicity, BMI, cancer type, comorbidities, smoking status, surgical procedure, receipt of antibiotic prophylaxis, hemoglobin A1C, post-operative glucose values, intervention compliance, intra-operative complications, post-operative complications including SSI, hospital readmissions, reoperation and mortality. Results: Since 2/2018, 39 gynecologic cancer patients have undergone laparotomy. Overall compliance with HgA1c screening is 64% (25/39), which has improved from 42% in 2/2018 to 70% in 3/2018 and 83% in 4/2018. Causes of non-compliance included unplanned conversion to laparotomy and need for additional education. Five of 39 (13%) patients were diabetic, including one newly diagnosed through this initiative. The post-intervention diabetic SSI rate is 0% (0/5) with all post-intervention glucose values &lt; 180mg/dL. There have been no safety adverse events resulting in patient harm. Conclusions: Implementing a QI initiative to standardize management of diabetic patients undergoing surgery is both safe and feasible. Effectiveness data will continue to be collected.

Association of Mechanical Bowel Preparation and Oral Antibiotics Before Elective Colorectal Surgery With Surgical Site Infection

There has been a resurgence of interest in the use of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) and oral antibiotics (OAB) before elective colorectal surgery. Until now, clinical trials and meta-analyses have not compared all 4 approaches (MBP with OAB, OAB only, MBP only, or no preparation) simultaneously. To perform a network meta-analysis to clarify which approach in colorectal surgery is associated with the lowest rate of surgical site infection (SSI). Five electronic databases were searched, including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ACP Journal Club. and Database of Abstracts of Review of Effectiveness from database inception to November 27, 2017. Only data from randomized clinical trials were included. Inclusion criteria were RCTs that reported on SSI rates or other complications based on MBP or OAB status. Quality of studies was appraised by the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. The study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Total, incisional, and organ/space SSI rates. Secondary outcomes included rates of anastomotic leak, mortality, readmissions/reoperations, urinary tract infection, and pulmonary complications. Thirty-eight randomized clinical trials among 8458 patients (52.1% male) were included, providing 4 direct comparisons and 2 indirect comparisons for 8 outcome measures. On Bayesian analysis, MBP with OAB vs MBP only was associated with reduced SSI (odds ratio [OR], 0.71; 95% equal-tail credible interval [CrI], 0.57-0.88). There was no significant difference between MBP with OAB vs OAB only (OR, 0.95; 95% CrI, 0.56-1.62). Oral antibiotics without MBP was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in SSI compared with any other group (except for a risk reduction in organ/space SSI when indirectly compared with no preparation) (OR, 0.13; 95% CrI, 0.02-0.55). There was no difference in SSI between MBP only vs no preparation (OR, 0.84; 95% CrI, 0.69-1.02). In this network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, MBP with OAB was associated with the lowest risk of SSI. Oral antibiotics only was ranked as second best, but the data available on this approach were limited. There was no difference between MBP only vs no preparation. In addition, there was no difference in rates of anastomotic leak, readmissions, or reoperations between any groups.

The role of saline irrigation prior to wound closure in the reduction of surgical site infection: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSurgical site infection describes an infectious complication of surgical wounds. This single complication is thought to occur in close to 20% of surgical cases. This complication has been described in all kinds of surgical procedure including minimally invasive procedures. Wound irrigation is frequently used as a means of reducing surgical site infection. However, there is lack of solid evidence to support routine wound irrigation. The aim of this review is to provide evidence for the efficacy of routine wound irrigation with normal saline in preventing surgical site infection. The rate of surgical site infection in cases with and without wound irrigation will be analyzed.Methods/designSystematic literature searches will be conducted to identify all published and unpublished studies. The following databases will be searched for citations from inception to present: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase (via Embase), and CENTRAL (via the Cochrane library). The search strategy will be developed by the research team in collaboration with an experienced librarian and checked by a referee according to the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) guideline. A draft of the PubMed search strategy could be (irrigation[tiab] OR “Therapeutic Irrigation”[mesh] OR lavage[tiab]) AND (saline[tiab] OR “Sodium Chloride”[mesh] OR sodium chloride[tiab]) NOT (“Comment” [Publication Type] OR “Letter” [Publication Type] OR “Editorial” [Publication Type]). No time limits will be set. The reference lists of eligible articles will be hand searched. Relevant data will be extracted from eligible studies using a previously designed data extraction sheet. Relative risks will be calculated for binary outcomes and mean differences or standardized mean differences, if necessary, for continuous outcomes. For all measures, 95% confidence levels will be calculated. Both arms would be compared with regard to the rate of surgical site infection within 30 days following surgery. We will report the review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement.DiscussionThis review aims at investigating the value of routine wound irrigation using normal saline in preventing surgical site infection.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO: CRD42018082287

Impact of a Novel Preoperative Patient-centered Surgical Wellness Program.

The objective of this study was to evaluate if a preoperative wellness bundle significantly decreases the risk of hospital acquired infections (HAI). HAI threaten patient outcomes and are a significant burden to the healthcare system. Preoperative wellness efforts may significantly decrease the risk of infections. A group of 12,396 surgical patients received a wellness bundle in a roller bag during preoperative screening at an urban academic medical center. The wellness bundle consisted of a chlorhexidine bath solution, immuno-nutrition supplements, incentive spirometer, topical mupirocin for the nostrils, and smoking cessation information. Study staff performed structured patient interviews, observations, and standardized surveys at key intervals throughout the perioperative period. Statistics compare HAI outcomes of patients in the wellness program to a nonintervention group using the Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, and Poisson regression. Patients in the nonintervention and intervention groups were similar in demographics, comorbidity, and type of operations. Compliance with each element was high (80% mupirocin, 72% immuno-nutrition, 71% chlorhexidine bath, 67% spirometer). The intervention group had statistically significant reductions in surgical site infections, Clostridium difficile, catheter associated urinary tract infections, and patient safety indicator 90. A novel, preoperative, patient-centered wellness program dramatically reduced HAI in surgical patients at an urban academic medical center.

Protocol-Driven Reduction in Surgical Site Infection after Colon Surgery

Protocol-Driven Reduction in Surgical Site Infection after Colon Surgery

A Glycemic Management Protocol for Surgical Site Infection Reduction in Vascular Surgery

Hyperglycemia in the perioperative period is a risk factor for surgical site infections (SSIs). Many patients undergoing vascular surgery have dysglycemia and are at risk. Local data indicated that SSIs were increased in vascular surgery, so a QI initiative was undertaken.

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for Surgical Site Infection Prophylaxis in the Post-Antibiotic Era.

Background: With the prospect of antibiotic failure in the post-antibiotic era, strategies that prevent surgical site infection (SSI) are increasingly important. Current literature suggests that incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (iNWPT) is a promising intervention. Methods: Based on published literature regarding iNPWT, its mechanisms of action, and clinical results, a narrative summary was built, including both the experimental as well as the clinical literature. Results: The experimental literature indicates that iNPWT provides a barrier against external contamination before re-epithelialization, increases blood flow and lymphatic clearance, and reduces edema. Meta-analyses of randomized studies indicate that iNWPT is effective in reducing SSI. We did not identify studies that assessed bacterial clearance during iNPWT in contaminated surgical sites, nor did we identify clinical studies that specified they omitted concomitant antibiotic prophylaxis. Conclusions: Moderate quality evidence indicates that iNWPT reduces SSI, although data without the concomitant use of antibiotic prophylaxis are lacking. The iNPWT is likely effective as a result of its barrier function and optimization of the surgical site micro-environment. For now, iNPWT is recommended for incorporation in SSI prevention bundles. The iNPWT as a substitute for antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended currently. Further reduction of SSI by iNPWT will lessen the need for therapeutic use of antibiotic agents.

A Meta-analysis of Prophylaxis of Surgical Site Infections with Topical Application of Povidone Iodine Before Primary Closure.

Povidone iodine (PVI) is a widely used antiseptic solution among surgeons. A meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to establish whether application of PVI before wound closure could reduce surgical site infection (SSI) rates. Systematic review of MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases from inception to September 2017, with no language restrictions. Only RCTs were retrieved. The primary outcome was the SSI rate. Meta-analysis was complemented with trial sequential analysis (TSA). A total of 7601 patients collected from 16 RCTs were analyzed. A reduction in overall SSI rate was found (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.48-0.85, P = 0.002, I2 = 65%), which was attributed to patients undergoing elective operations (n = 2358) and mixed elective/urgent operations (n = 2019). When RCTs of uncertain quality (n = 9) were excluded, the use of PVI before wound closure (n = 4322 patients) was not associated with a significant reduction of SSI (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.55-1.20, P = 0.29, I2 = 51%) and was only significant in clean wounds (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.70, P = 0.008, I2 = 0%). For the primary outcome, the TSA calculation using a relative risk reduction of 19% and an 11% proportion of control event rate (CER) with 51% of I2, the accrued information size (n = 4322) was 32.8% of the estimated optimal information size (n = 13,148). There is no conclusive evidence for a strong recommendation of topical PVI before wound closure to prevent SSI.

The role of mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics for left-sided laparoscopic and open elective restorative colorectal surgery with and without faecal diversion

There is significant variation in the use of mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics prior to left-sided elective colorectal surgery. There has been no consensus internationally. This was a retrospective analysis of the 2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were divided into four groups: those who had mechanical bowel preparation with oral antibiotics, mechanical bowel preparation alone, oral antibiotics alone and no preparation. The main outcome measures included overall, superficial, deep and organ/space surgical site infections. Secondary outcomes included anastomotic leak, ileus and rate of Clostridium difficile. A total of 5729 patients were included for analysis. The overall surgical site infection rate (any superficial, deep or organ/space infection) was significantly lower in the mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics approach when compared to no preparation (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.36-0.59, P < 0.0001). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, mechanical bowel preparation with oral antibiotics maintained a lower risk of overall surgical site infections. MBP and OAB also had a protective effect on anastomotic leak in both the laparoscopic and open cohorts (laparoscopic multivariable adjusted OR = 0.42 (0.19-0.94), P = 0.035; open multivariable adjusted OR = 0.3 (0.12-0.77), P = 0.012). Mechanical bowel preparation alone and oral antibiotics alone was not associated with a significant decrease in surgical site infections. There was no increase in C. difficile occurrences with the use of oral antibiotics. Mechanical bowel preparation with oral antibiotics significantly minimised surgical site infections and anastomotic leak following both laparoscopic and open left-sided restorative colorectal surgery. Mechanical bowel preparation alone did not reduce surgical site infections. There was a trend to reduction in surgical site infections with oral antibiotics alone.

The preventable proportion of healthcare-associated infections 2005-2016: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The preventable proportion of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) may decrease over time as standards of care improve. We aimed to assess the proportion of HAIs prevented by multifaceted infection control interventions in different economic settings. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched OVID Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed, and The Cochrane Library for studies published between 2005 and 2016 assessing multifaceted interventions to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and hospital-acquired pneumonia not associated with mechanical ventilation (HAP) in acute-care or long-term care settings. For studies reporting raw rates, we extracted data and calculated the natural log of the risk ratio and variance to obtain pooled risk ratio estimates. Of the 5,226 articles identified by our search, 144 studies were included in the final analysis. Pooled incidence rate ratios associated with multifaceted interventions were 0.543 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.445-0.662) for CAUTI, 0.459 (95% CI, 0.381-0.554) for CLABSI, and 0.553 (95% CI, 0.465-0.657) for VAP. The pooled rate ratio was 0.461 (95% CI, 0.389-0.546) for interventions aiming at SSI reduction, and for VAP reduction initiatives, the pooled rate ratios were 0.611 (95% CI, 0.414-0.900) for before-and-after studies and 0.509 (95% CI, 0.277-0.937) for randomized controlled trials. Reductions in infection rates were independent of the economic status of the study country. The risk of bias was high in 143 of 144 studies (99.3%). Published evidence suggests a sustained potential for the significant reduction of HAI rates in the range of 35%-55% associated with multifaceted interventions irrespective of a country's income level.

Prophylactic incisional negative pressure wound therapy reduces the risk of surgical site infection after caesarean section in obese women: a pragmatic randomised clinical trial.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the reduction of surgical site infections by prophylactic incisional negative pressure wound therapy compared with standard postoperative dressings in obese women giving birth by caesarean section.DesignMulticentre randomised controlled trial.SettingFive hospitals in Denmark.PopulationObese women (prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2) undergoing elective or emergency caesarean section.MethodThe participants were randomly assigned to incisional negative pressure wound therapy or a standard dressing after caesarean section and analysed by intention‐to‐treat. Blinding was not possible due to the nature of the intervention.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was surgical site infection requiring antibiotic treatment within the first 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included wound exudate, dehiscence and health‐related quality of life.ResultsIncisional negative pressure wound therapy was applied to 432 women and 444 women had a standard dressing. Demographics were similar between groups. Surgical site infection occurred in 20 (4.6%) women treated with incisional negative pressure wound therapy and in 41 (9.2%) women treated with a standard dressing (relative risk 0.50, 95% CI 0.30–0.84; number needed to treat 22; P = 0.007). The effect remained statistically significant when adjusted for BMI and other potential risk factors. Incisional negative pressure wound therapy significantly reduced wound exudate whereas no difference was found for dehiscence and quality of life between the two groups.ConclusionProphylactic use of incisional negative pressure wound therapy reduced the risk of surgical site infection in obese women giving birth by caesarean section.Tweetable abstract RCT: prophylactic incisional NPWT versus standard dressings postcaesarean in 876 women significantly reduces the risk of SSI.

Use of Intrawound Antibiotics in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Intrawound antibiotics have been used in orthopaedic surgery procedures to prevent the development of surgical site infections. Local delivery of antibiotic powder has demonstrated a notable reduction in surgical site infection in rabbit and rodent in vivo models, as well as in other surgical fields, including vascular, colorectal, cardiothoracic, and dermatologic surgery. Intrawound antibiotic powder has been used in many orthopaedic applications, including spine surgery, total joint arthroplasty, trauma, foot and ankle reconstruction, and elbow surgery. Although the theory behind the use of intrawound antibiotic powder is promising, it has potential adverse effects, including antibiotic resistance, circulatory collapse, and decreased bone healing. In addition, most studies in the orthopaedic literature on the use of intrawound antibiotic powder are retrospective in nature.

A Postoperative Care Bundle Reduces Surgical Site Infections in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgeries

Pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgeries are at an increased surgical site infection (SSI) risk, given prolonged cardiopulmonary bypasses and delayed sternal closures. At one institution, the majority of cardiac patients developed SSIs during prolonged recoveries in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU). Although guidelines have been published to reduce SSIs in the perioperative period, there have been few guidelines to reduce the risk during prolonged hospital recoveries. The aim of this project was to study a postoperative SSI reduction care bundle, with a goal of reducing cardiac SSIs by 50%, from 3.4 to 1.7 per 100 procedures. This project was conducted at a quaternary, pediatric academic center with a 20-bed CVICU. Historical control data were recorded from January 2013 through May 2015 and intervention/sustainment data from June 2015 through March 2017. A multidisciplinary SSI reduction team developed five key drivers that led to implementation of 11 postoperative SSI reduction care elements. Statistical process control charts were used to measure process compliance, and Pearson's chi-square test was used to determine differences in SSI rates. Prior to implementation, there were 27 SSIs in 799 pediatric cardiac surgeries (3.4 SSIs per 100 surgeries). After the intervention, SSIs significantly decreased to 5 in 570 procedures (0.9 SSIs per 100 surgeries; p = 0.0045). This project describes five key drivers and 11 elements that were dedicated to reducing the risk of SSI during prolonged CVICU recoveries from pediatric cardiac surgery, with demonstrated sustainability.