Simple Prevention Protocol Can Reduce Dangerous Surgical Site Infections
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 29 Mar 2024 |

Surgical site infections (SSIs) pose a significant risk in the healthcare sector, increasing the likelihood of patient death by up to 11 times compared to those who do not contract an SSI. These infections not only lead to higher morbidity and mortality rates but also impose a considerable financial strain due to the prolonged hospital stays and additional costs incurred. Although various protocols have been recommended to counter SSIs, challenges such as patient non-compliance, escalating costs, and bacterial resistance often diminish their effectiveness. Now, a new study has demonstrated the effectiveness of a simple pre-surgical infection prevention protocol in reducing dangerous post-surgical infections.
In this new study, researchers at Soroka University Medical Center (Beersheba, Israel) evaluated the results of a protocol designed to minimize SSIs, particularly those caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. This protocol included administering povidone-iodine intranasally and applying chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) on the skin before surgery. The study analyzed 688 adults who underwent hip or knee arthroplasty, or spinal surgery at the medical center from February 2018 to October 2021. Their post-surgical outcomes were then compared with those of patients from 2016 and 2017, prior to the introduction of povidone-iodine into the protocol. Monitoring was conducted for 90 days post-operation to evaluate the protocol's effectiveness.
Deploying this intervention prior to surgery helped to address a broad challenge in healthcare, that some 30% of the population is colonized with S. aureus without exhibiting symptoms. Remarkably, the protocol eradicated the S. aureus bacterium in nearly 40% of the patients who were carriers before surgery. The significance of removing S. aureus was underscored by findings that its presence shortly after surgery tripled the risk of SSI development. The introduction of this protocol led to a marked reduction in the occurrence of serious SSIs, highlighting its potential to significantly improve patient safety and outcomes in surgical settings.
“Our study clearly shows that we can prevent surgical site infections and keep patients safer through the use of a simple pre-surgical nasal application of povidone-iodine in combination with standard CHG bathing,” said Lisa Saidel-Odes, MD, Infectious Diseases specialist at Soroka University Medical Center. “We noted that the protocol is most effective in cases with little S. aureus present and suggest that an additional application of the povidone-iodine might be needed for patients with greater nasal colonization.”
Related Links:
Soroka University Medical Center
Latest Surgical Techniques News
- Easy-To-Apply Gel Could Prevent Formation of Post-Surgical Abdominal Adhesions
- Groundbreaking Leadless Pacemaker to Prevent Invasive Surgeries for Children
- Spectroscopy Technique Improves Surgery for Pediatric Epilepsy Patients
- Bioengineered Arteries Show Promise for Cardiovascular Surgery
- Online Tool Guides Surgical Decisions for Gallbladder Cancer
- Innovative Technology Enables Rapid Life-Saving Surgical Leak Detection
- First-Of-Its-Kind Bioresorbable Implant to Help Children with Rare Respiratory Disease
- Screw-Shaped Magnetic Microrobots to Transform Treatment for Patients with Inoperable Blood Clots
- "Ultra-Rapid" Testing in the OR Could Enable Accurate Removal of Brain Tumors
- Automated Endoscopic Device Obtains Improved Biopsy Results in Single Pass
- World's First Machine Learning Model Combats Wrong-Site Surgery
- Novel Method Combining Heart Biopsy and Device Implantation Reduces Complications Risk
- New Surface Coating Could Prevent Blood Clotting in Medical Devices and Implants
- Dumbbell-Shaped Thrombectomy Device Offers Novel Approach to Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Treatment
- Novel Catheter Mimics Snake Teeth to Grab Blood Clots
- New Laparoscopic Imaging Technique Accurately Maps Biological Tissue for Minimally Invasive Surgery
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
Innovative Risk Score Predicts Heart Attack or Stroke in Kidney Transplant Candidates
Heart researchers have utilized an innovative risk assessment score to accurately predict whether patients being evaluated for kidney transplants are at risk for future major cardiac events, such as a... Read more
AI Algorithm Detects Early-Stage Metabolic-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Using EHRs
Liver disease, which is treatable when detected early, often goes unnoticed until it reaches advanced stages. Metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the most prevalent form of liver disease,... Read moreCritical Care
view channel
Novel Coating Significantly Extends Longevity of Implantable Biosensors
Wearable and implantable biosensors capable of accurately detecting biological molecules in a non-invasive or minimally invasive way offer enormous potential for monitoring patients’ health and their responses... Read more
Nanogel-Based Drug Delivery Technology to Improve UTI Treatment
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are not only widespread and costly but also highly debilitating, significantly impacting the quality of life for those affected. The antibiotics commonly used to treat UTIs... Read more
New IV Pole Improves Safety and Ease of Administering IV Medications at Hospital Bedside
Preventable medication errors affect around 500,000 hospitalized patients in the U.S. every year. A significant portion of these errors occur with intravenous (IV) smart pumps, which require a precise... Read morePatient Care
view channel
Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections
Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more
First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds
Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read more
Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization
An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more
Game-Changing Innovation in Surgical Instrument Sterilization Significantly Improves OR Throughput
A groundbreaking innovation enables hospitals to significantly improve instrument processing time and throughput in operating rooms (ORs) and sterile processing departments. Turbett Surgical, Inc.... Read moreHealth IT
view channel
Printable Molecule-Selective Nanoparticles Enable Mass Production of Wearable Biosensors
The future of medicine is likely to focus on the personalization of healthcare—understanding exactly what an individual requires and delivering the appropriate combination of nutrients, metabolites, and... Read more
Smartwatches Could Detect Congestive Heart Failure
Diagnosing congestive heart failure (CHF) typically requires expensive and time-consuming imaging techniques like echocardiography, also known as cardiac ultrasound. Previously, detecting CHF by analyzing... Read morePoint of Care
view channel
Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour
Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Smartphone-Enabled, Paper-Based Quantitative Diagnostic Platform Transforms POC Testing
Point-of-care diagnostics are crucial for public health, offering rapid, on-site testing that enables prompt diagnosis and treatment. This is especially valuable in remote or underserved regions where... Read moreBusiness
view channel
Becton Dickinson to Spin Out Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions Business
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA), has announced that its board of directors has unanimously authorized BD management to pursue a plan to separate BD's Biosciences and Diagnostic... Read more