2011 Team Approach Cuts Infection Risk After Orthopedic Surgery Medscape

Description: May 10, 2011 (Dallas, Texas) — A multidisciplinary approach reduced the rate of deep surgical-site infections (D-SSI) in orthopedic surgeries, according to a study presented here at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 20th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Joint-replacement surgeries are an increasingly common procedure, and D-SSIs cause serious morbidity, often necessitating the removal and replacement of the joint and significantly adding to healthcare costs.
In an effort to improve outcomes, the researchers convened a multidisciplinary working group. After analyzing processes and institutional infection data, the working group developed 4 initiatives to reduce D-SSI: refresher training for operating room staff on aseptic technique, sterility, and standardization of skin-site preparation; development of a skin-site preparation procedure using a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-based skin antiseptic; patient education about the importance of CHG bathing in advance of the procedure; and standardization and the addition of vancomycin to the preoperative antibiotic regimen.
In the 12 months after the implementation of the initiatives, the researchers noted a 66% reduction in hip arthroplasty D-SSI (1-tailed P value of regression line = .0194) and an 80% reduction in knee D-SSI. The improvements continued for an additional 6 months after that.
Team Approach Cuts Infection Risk After Orthopedic Surgery Jim Kling Medscape Report