Patient-related risk factors for surgical site infection following eight types of gastrointestinal surgery

Incisional surgical site infections by subcutaneous soaking of wound with aqueous 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate in gastroenterological surgery: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Chlorhexidine gluconate solution is superior to povidone-iodine for prevention of surgical site infection. However, the overall efficacy of chlorhexidine gluconate for surgical site infection prevention in various types of gastroenterological surgery, as well as the optimal concentration of chlorhexidine gluconate, remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether subcutaneous wound soaking with chlorhexidine gluconate would reduce the incidence of surgical site infection associated with gastroenterological surgery in patients with wound classes Ⅱ to Ⅳ.

METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either wound soaking with chlorhexidine gluconate (chlorhexidine gluconate group) or no chlorhexidine gluconate soaking (control group). After closure of the abdominal fascia, gentle subcutaneous soaking of the wound was performed using gauze fully soaked in aqueous 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate before skin closure. Incisional surgical site infection was diagnosed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. The primary end point was the occurrence of incisional surgical site infection.

RESULTS

Among 363 patients, 245 (67%) underwent laparoscopic surgery. All 363 patients were included-181 in the chlorhexidine gluconate group (49.9%) and 182 (50.1%) in the control group. There were no significant inter-group differences in patient background, the type of procedure, or wound classification. The incidence proportion of incisional surgical site infection was significantly lower in the chlorhexidine gluconate group than in the control group (9.4% vs 19.2%; P = .008).

CONCLUSION

Subcutaneous wound soaking with chlorhexidine gluconate reduces the incidence of incisional surgical site infection in patients undergoing gastroenterological surgery.

Effect of perioperative oral care on postoperative infections in patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

This systematic review aimed to assess the effect of non-pharmacologic perioperative oral hygiene care on reduced incidence of postoperative pneumonia (PP), surgical site infection (SSI), and the length of hospital stay in patients with cancer, and to describe the details of oral hygiene care.

METHODS

We searched seven databases. Eligibility criteria were based on perioperative oral hygiene care provided by healthcare professionals to patients aged ≥18 years who were surgically treated under general anesthesia and were evaluated for the incidence of PP and SSI. We reported risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes for PP and SSI using a fixed-effects model of meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The search resulted in 850 articles, among which two were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 21 were observational studies. Most studies indicated that dentists and medical care providers performed a combination of oral cleaning, and oral hygiene instructions. In RCTs, perioperative oral hygiene care significantly reduced the incidence of PP (RR, 0.86; p = .60), while in observational studies, perioperative oral hygiene care significantly reduced the incidence of PP (RR, 0.55; p < .001) and SSI (RR, 0.47; p < .001). The length of hospital stay was also significantly reduced (p < .05). However, the effectiveness of nursing intervention was not clear.

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative oral hygiene care implemented by healthcare professionals prevented PP and SSI and reduced length of hospital stays for patients after cancer surgery. As daily perioperative oral hygiene care is performed by nurses, it is necessary to research the effects of oral hygiene by nurses in the future.

The effectiveness of fascial closure with antimicrobial-coated sutures in preventing incisional surgical site infections in gastrointestinal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of fascial closure using antimicrobial-sutures specifically for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) in gastrointestinal surgery, as part of the revision of the SSI prevention guidelines of the Japanese Society of Surgical Infectious Diseases (JSSI). We searched CENTRAL, PubMed and ICHUSHI-Web in May 2023, and included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antimicrobial-coated and non-coated sutures for fascial closure in gastrointestinal surgery (PROSPERO No. CRD42023430377). Three authors independently screened the RCTs. We assessed the risk of bias and the GRADE criteria for the extracted data. The primary outcome was incisional SSI and the secondary outcomes were abdominal wall dehiscence and the length of postoperative hospital stay. This study was supported partially by the JSSI. A total of 10 RCTs and 5396 patients were included. The use of antimicrobial-coated sutures significantly lowered the risk of incisional SSIs compared with non-coated suture (risk ratio: 0.79, 95% confidence intervals: 0.64-0.98). In subgroup analyses, antimicrobial-coated sutures reduced the risk of SSIs for open surgeries, and when monofilament sutures were used. Antimicrobial-coated sutures did not reduce the incidence of abdominal wall dehiscence and the length of hospital stay compared with non-coated sutures. The certainty of the evidence was rated as moderate according to the GRADE criteria, because of risk of bias. In conclusion, the use of antimicrobial-coated sutures for fascial closure in gastrointestinal surgery is associated with a significantly lower risk of SSI than non-coated sutures.

Positive impact of perioperative oral management on the risk of surgical site infections after abdominal surgery: Sixteen universities in Japan

Surgical site infections (SSI) are associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. This study aimed to investigate the ability of perioperative oral management (POM) to reduce the risk of SSI in abdominal surgery Real-world data collected from 16 university hospitals in Japan were reviewed. The medical records of consecutive 2782 patients (1750 men and 1032 women) who underwent abdominal surgery under general anesthesia at 16 university hospitals were retrospectively reviewed. Detailed information about SSI was assessed and compared between patients with and without POM in univariate and multivariate analyses. SSI were observed in 275 patients (incidence rate:9.9%), and POM was administered to 778 patients (28.0%). Univariate analyses revealed that diabetes mellitus, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, surgical site, preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index score, POM, extent of surgery, operation time, and intraoperative blood loss were significantly associated with postoperative SSI (Chi-square or Mann-Whitney U test, P < .01). Multivariate analysis revealed that POM had significant preventive effects against postoperative SSI (estimate: -0.245, standard error: 0.080, P < .01). Surgical site, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and operation time were also significant and independent clinical predictors of SSI. The analysis of real-world data from 16 university hospitals revealed that, regardless of the content and degree of the problem, the addition of POM has significant beneficial effects in reducing the risk of SSI in patients who undergo abdominal surgery. Medical records from each hospital and data from the Health Care Payment Fund were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

Surgical Site Infections in Gastroenterological Surgery

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain one of the most common serious surgical complications and are the second most frequent healthcare-associated infection. Patients with SSIs have a significantly increased postoperative length of hospital stay, hospital expenses, and mortality risk compared with patients without SSIs. The prevention of SSI requires the integration of a range of perioperative measures, and approximately 50% of SSIs are preventable through the implementation of evidence-based preventative strategies. Several international guidelines for SSI prevention are currently available worldwide. However, there is an urgent need for SSI prevention guidelines specific to Japan because of the differences in the healthcare systems of Japan versus western countries. In 2018, the Japan Society for Surgical Infection published SSI prevention guidelines for gastroenterological surgery. Although evidence-based SSI prevention guidelines are now available, it is important to consider the appropriateness of these guidelines depending on the actual conditions in each facility. A systemic inflammatory host response is a hallmark of bacterial infection, including SSI. Therefore, blood inflammatory markers are potentially useful in SSI diagnosis, outcome prediction, and termination of therapeutic intervention. In this review, we describe the current guideline-based perioperative management strategies for SSI prevention, focusing on gastroenterological surgery and the supplemental utility of blood inflammatory markers.

Prevention of incisional surgical site infection by subfascial closed suction drainage after open laparotomy: a single surgeon experience in 250 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND

Open laparotomy with gastroenterological surgery is a surgical procedure results in a relatively high rate (about 10% or more) of incisional surgical site infection (SSI). To reduce incisional SSI after open laparotomy, mechanical preventors, such as subcutaneous wound drainage or negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT), have been tried; however, conclusive results have not been obtained. This study evaluated the prevention of incisional SSI by first subfascial closed suction drainage after open laparotomy.

METHODS

A total of 453 consecutive patients who underwent open laparotomy with gastroenterological surgery by one surgeon in one hospital (between August 1, 2011, and August 31, 2022) was investigated. Same absorbable threads and ring drapes were used in this period. Subfascial drainage was used in consecutive 250 patients in the later period (between January 1, 2016, and August 31, 2022). The incidences of SSIs in the subfascial drainage group were compared to those of in the no subfascial drainage group.

RESULTS

(a) No incisional SSI (superficial and deep) occurred in the subfascial drainage group (superficial = 0% [0/250] and deep = 0% [0/250]). As a result, incidences of incisional SSI of the subfascial drainage group were significantly lower than those of the no subfascial drainage group (superficial = 8.9% [18/203]; deep = 3.4% [7/203]) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). (b) Four out of seven deep incisional SSI patients in the no subfascial drainage group underwent debridement and re-suture under lumbar or general anesthesia. (c) There was no significant difference in the incidences of organ/space SSI of the two groups (3.4% [7/203] in the no subfascial drainage group and 5.2% [13/250] in the subfascial drainage group) (P = 0.491).

CONCLUSION

Subfascial drainage was associated with no incisional SSI after open laparotomy with gastroenterological surgery.

Postoperative infectious complications have a negative oncological impact in patients after stent placement with malignant large bowel obstruction

PURPOSE

In this study, we aimed to investigate the oncological impact of postoperative infection in patients with malignant large bowel obstruction managed by self-expandable metallic stent placement as a bridge to surgery.

METHODS

The cohort of this multicenter retrospective study comprised 129 patients with pathological stage II/III malignant large bowel obstruction who had undergone bridge to surgery. Patients were allocated to no-postoperative infection (n = 116) and postoperative infection groups (n = 13).

RESULTS

The postoperative infection group had a significantly greater proportion of men, fewer harvested lymph nodes, and longer postoperative hospital stays than did the no-postoperative infection group. Self-expandable metallic stent-related variables, including clinical failure, were not associated with postoperative infection. Male sex and low body mass index were identified as risk factors for postoperative infection by multivariate logistic regression. Three-year relapse-free survival rates were 75.5% and 30.8% in the no-postoperative infection and postoperative infection groups, respectively; this difference is statistically significant. Male sex, postoperative infection, and T4 were identified as independent prognostic factors by multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis. The postoperative infection group had a significantly higher total recurrence rate and shorter interval to recurrence than did the no-postoperative infection group.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show that postoperative infection in bridge to surgery patients has a negative oncological impact. This finding indicates that further improvement in perioperative management of bridge to surgery patients is required to minimize postoperative infection and that patient-risk stratification and additional therapy would contribute to improving oncological outcomes.

Prognostic impact of postoperative infection in patients with pancreatic cancer: A multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative infection after pancreatectomy in patients with pancreatic cancer often leads to poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic effect of postoperative infection in patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

A multicenter cohort study was performed using a common database of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent curative pancreatic resections between April 2013 and March 2015 at 15 high-volume centers in Japan. The rate of postoperative infection was determined, and patient demographic characteristics, clinicopathologic factors, and prognostic factors for overall survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 462 eligible patients who underwent curative pancreatectomy, postoperative infection occurred in 141 patients (31%), including 114 surgical site infections (25%), 50 remote infections (11%), and 23 combined infections (5%). Risk factors for postoperative infection included high body mass index, nondiabetes, and longer operation time. In the survival analysis, patients with postoperative infection had significantly worse overall survival than patients without postoperative infection. The median survival times were 21.9 and 33.0 months (P = .023), respectively, for patients with and without postoperative infection. According to the multivariate analysis for overall survival, lack of adjuvant therapy (P = .002), but not postoperative infection (P = .829), predicted poor prognosis. The multivariate analysis revealed that postoperative infection (P < .001) was an independent risk factor for lack of adjuvant therapy.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative infection in patients with pancreatic cancer may indirectly worsen the prognosis by preventing timely adjuvant therapy.

Clinical Impact of Two-Week Placement of a Subcutaneous Suction Drain in Preventing Incisional Surgical Site Infection in Open Gastrointestinal Surgery with Class 4 Dirty Wound: A Retrospective Study

Background: Two recent randomized controlled trials demonstrated the beneficial effects of subcutaneous drainage in preventing incisional surgical site infection (SSI) in colorectal surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous suction drains (SSDs) compared with primary skin closure (PC) in class 4 dirty wound surgery. Patients and Methods: Eighty-one patients undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery with class 4 dirty wounds were enrolled in this study, 30 of whom underwent SSD insertion, whereas the other 51 were treated with PC. Because several studies have reported that the median onset of the development of incisional SSI was eight to 13 days after surgery, we used a two-week placement of an SSD. Comparison of patients treated with SSD and PC and multivariable analysis were performed to test the ability of SSD in decreasing the SSI rate. Results: No differences were observed between the two groups in terms of gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiology score, steroid use, presence of diabetes mellitus, peri-operative transfusion, and surgery type. Surgical site infection incidence was lower in the SSD group (6.6%; 2/30) than that in the PC group (23.5%; 12/51; p = 0.069). Multivariable analysis revealed that the presence of diabetes mellitus was an important independent risk factor for incisional SSI, and the placement of an SSD has substantial preventive effects on incisional SSI (p = 0.018 and p = 0.014, respectively). Conclusions: This study suggested the potential importance of a two-week placement of an SSD for preventing incisional SSI in class 4 dirty wound surgery.

Loop and drain technique for prevention of surgical site infection in upper gastrointestinal surgery

INTRODUCTION

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery is frequently complicated by surgical site infections (SSI) with significant postoperative morbidity and mortality rates contributing to the economic burden on healthcare. Advancements in operative techniques to prevent SSI are gaining traction in clinical practice. This study compares the effectiveness of the 'loop and drain technique (LDT)', a combination method utilizing a continuous subcutaneous vessel loop and subcuticular suture for surgical wound closure in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal surgery at a Metropolitan Hospital in Sydney.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who underwent an upper gastrointestinal procedure was conducted at Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital between 2017 and 2019. There were 77 patients in the LDT group and 123 patients included in the control group. The primary outcome assessed was the rate of SSI. Secondary outcomes included length of stay (LOS) and drainage of surgical site infections.

RESULT

Two hundred adult patients were treated for an upper gastrointestinal procedure. The most common operation was a Whipple procedure (35.0%). The rate of SSI was 12.5% with all these patients receiving intravenous antibiotics. The LDT cohort had a significantly lower rate of SSI compared to their counterparts (3.9% vs. 17.9%, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

The LDT method is associated with a decreased incidence of SSI and should be considered as a cost-effective operative technique to improve patient outcomes after upper gastrointestinal surgery.

Comparison of laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair in adults: A retrospective cohort study using a medical claims database

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate and compare the surgical complications following laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) with those following open inguinal hernia repair (OIHR).

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study based on nationwide claims data. We extracted the data of patients aged ≥20 years who underwent inguinal hernia repair (IHR) between 2009 and 2020. The primary outcome was postoperative complications of IHR, and the secondary outcomes were recurrence of hernia and length of hospital stay. Patient characteristics were adjusted with propensity score (PS) matching, the annual proportions of LIHR versus OIHR were summarized, and the surgical outcomes of each IHR were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 15 728 eligible patients, 6512 underwent LIHR. The proportion of LIHR increased from 14.7% to 52.8% annually during the study period. From the analysis of 6060 pairs created by PS matching, the risk of surgical site infection (odds ratio [OR] 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-0.86; P = .0007), and acute postoperative pain (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.60-0.79; P < .0001), and chronic postoperative pain (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.70-0.98; P = .0291) were significantly lower with LIHR than with OIHR. The recurrent rate was not significantly different between the LIHR and OIHR groups (OR, 0.68; 95% CI 0.45-1.01; P = .0558). Furthermore, no significant difference was found in the length of hospital stay between the LIHR and OIHR groups (2.91 ± 1.94 days vs 2.97 ± 2.61 days, difference ± SE: 0.06 ± 0.04, P = .1307).

CONCLUSION

LIHR might be superior to OIHR in terms of fewer surgical complications and might be preferred over OIHR in the future.

Usefulness of presepsin for the early detection of infectious complications after elective colorectal surgery, compared with C-reactive protein and procalcitonin

Infectious complications remain a major clinical problem in colorectal surgery. Presepsin has been reported to be a useful marker to diagnose sepsis, similar or superior to procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of presepsin in the early detection of infectious complications after elective colorectal surgery, compared with CRP and PCT. This study was a prospective observational study. Patients of age > 18 who underwent elective colon resections were enrolled. Blood samples were collected just before surgery and on postoperative day (POD) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 to measure plasma levels of biomarkers. We evaluated the association between circulating biomarkers and infections. A total of 114 patients were examined, and 27 patients (23.7%) developed infectious complications. CRP and PCT markedly increased from POD 1 to POD 3 and then gradually decreased toward POD 6 in both groups, but the trends of the decrease in the infected group were blunt, compared with those in the non-infected group. On the other hand, presepsin did not show major changes just after surgery, but it increased on POD 4 and POD 6, when the complications occurred. Monitoring the presepsin trends after colorectal surgeries could be helpful to detect postoperative infectious complications.

Trial registration: UMIN000025313. Registered on 17 December 2016.

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Colonizing the Bile Duct Are Associated with Increased Morbidity and Mortality after Resection of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background: Patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) face considerable morbidity including septic complications after surgery. The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial spectrum of the common hepatic duct (CHD) and its clinical relevance regarding morbidity and mortality after resection of extrahepatic CCA. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 205 patients undergoing surgery for extrahepatic CCA in our department between January 2000 and March 2015. Patients were reviewed for pre-operative medical conditions, biliary bacterial flora obtained from intra-operative swabs, different septic complications, and post-operative outcome. Results: Bacterial colonization of the CHD was observed in 84.9% of the patients, with Enterococcus faecalis being detected most frequently (28.3%). Wound infections occurred in 30.7% of patients. Bacterial flora of the CHD and of the post-operatively colonized wounds coincided in 51.5% and of intra-abdominal swabs obtained during surgical revisions in 40.0%. Ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria in the CHD were identified as independent risk factor for wound infections (odds ratio [OR], 3.330; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.771-6.263; p < 0.001) and for complications requiring surgical revision (OR, 2.417; 95% CI, 1.288-4.539; p = 0.006). Most important independent risk factors for intra-hospital mortality were ampicillin-sulbactam-resistant bacteria in the CHD (OR, 3.969; 95% CI, 1.515-10.399; p = 0.005) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading >2 (OR, 2.936; 95% CI, 1.337-6.451; p = 0.007). Conclusions: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the CHD are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing resection for extrahepatic CCA.

Differences in clinical and cost-effectiveness between cefmetazole and flomoxef for the prevention of surgical site infection in elective colorectal surgery: A single-center, retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Surgical site infection (SSI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates, postoperative length of stay (pLOS), and medical costs. In colorectal surgery, cefmetazole (CMZ) and flomoxef (FMOX) are predominantly used in Japan, and they have almost the same spectrum of antibiotic activity against SSI pathogens, and an approximately four-fold cost difference (CMZ: ∼4$, FMOX: ∼16$). However, the difference between these antibiotics in SSI prophylaxis in colorectal surgery remains poorly understood.

METHODS

We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study to investigate the prophylactic effects of these antibiotics, pLOS, and hospitalization costs. Patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery between April 2016 and March 2020 were considered for this study.

RESULTS

Of the 634 patients, 316 (49.8%) were eligible. The SSI rates in the CMZ and FMOX groups were 14.7% and 12.5%, respectively. The incidence of organ/space SSI was approximately two-fold lower in the CMZ group than in the FMOX group (4.4% vs. 9.4%). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that CMZ was not significantly related to SSI, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52-2.82) and did not induce a significant difference in pLOS (difference ratio: 0.951 [95% CI: 0.868-1.041]). Hospitalization costs were reduced in the CMZ group (difference ratio, 0.951 [95% CI: 0.907-0.998], p = 0.042). The sensitivity analysis also showed results similar to the above findings.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that CMZ could be a cost-effective antibiotic with similar efficacy for SSI prophylaxis in colorectal surgery, compared with FMOX.

Increasing rates of laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery and decreasing rates of surgical site infections: an observational study in Japan from 2012-2017

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infections (SSI) are the most common healthcare-associated infection, and gastrointestinal surgery is frequently followed by a high incidence of SSI. Epidemiological analysis of the temporal trends in SSI following gastrointestinal surgery has yet to be performed in Japan. Our purpose was to descriptively investigate these trends.

METHODS

Extracting national surveillance data from the Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS) system, we analyzed the frequency of SSI events following gastrointestinal surgery, which consisted of seven surgical procedures, from 2012-2017. We calculated the standardized infection ratio to compute risk-adjusted SSI frequency, and used the trend test to detect time-dependent changes.

RESULTS

The frequency of SSI events, except for those associated with surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract, revealed a decreasing time-dependent trend. The use of laparoscopic surgery increased dramatically over time (p < 0.01 for the six applicable surgical sites), while the frequency of SSI events during laparoscopic surgery remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

The increasing use of laparoscopic surgery was identified, and the observation coincided with the decreasing trend in SSI, especially in lower gastrointestinal tract surgery. If the relationship is causal, the overall SSI incidence among previously healthy individuals is expected to decrease, because the use of laparoscopic surgery has large growth potential in Japan.

Risk factors for surgical-site infections after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a study in China

Background

About 10% of patients get a surgical-site infection (SSI) after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer, but SSI remains controversial among surgeons. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors for SSIs after radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer to guide clinical therapies and reduce the incidence of SSI.

Methods

The study was a retrospective cohort study in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. SSI was defined in accordance with the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. We evaluated patient-related and peri-operative variables that could be risk factors for SSIs. The Chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between these risk factors and SSI.

Results

Among the 590 patients, 386 were men and 204 were women. The mean age was 56.6 (28–82) years and 14.2% (84/590) of these patients had an SSI. Among them, incisional SSI was observed in 23 patients (3.9%) and organ/space SSI in 61 patients (10.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified sex (odds ratios [ORs] = 2.548, and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.268–5.122, P = 0.009), total gastrectomy (OR = 2.327, 95% CI: 1.352–4.004, P = 0.002), albumin level (day 3 after surgery) <30 g/L (OR = 1.868, 95% CI: 1.066–3.274, P = 0.029), and post-operative total parenteral nutrition (OR = 2.318, 95% CI: 1.026–5.237, P = 0.043) as independent risk factors for SSI.

Conclusions

SSI was common among patients after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The method supporting post-operative nutrition and the duration of prophylactic antibiotics may be important modifiable influencing factors for SSI.

Surveillance quality correlates with surgical site infection rates in knee and hip arthroplasty and colorectal surgeries: A call to action to adjust reporting of SSI rates

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of surgical site infections may be underreported if the data are not routinely validated for accuracy. Our goal was to investigate the communicated SSI rate from a large network of Swiss hospitals compared with the results from on-site surveillance quality audits.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

PATIENTS

In total, 81,957 knee and hip prosthetic arthroplasties from 125 hospitals and 33,315 colorectal surgeries from 110 hospitals were included in the study.

METHODS

Hospitals had at least 2 external audits to assess the surveillance quality. The 50-point standardized score per audit summarizes quantitative and qualitative information from both structured interviews and a random selection of patient records. We calculated the mean National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) risk index adjusted infection rates in both surgery groups.

RESULTS

The median NHSN adjusted infection rate per hospital was 1.0% (interquartile range [IQR], 0.6%-1.5%) with median audit score of 37 (IQR, 33-42) for knee and hip arthroplasty, and 12.7% (IQR, 9.0%-16.6%), with median audit score 38 (IQR, 35-42) for colorectal surgeries. We observed a wide range of SSI rates and surveillance quality, with discernible clustering for public and private hospitals, and both lower infection rates and audit scores for private hospitals. Infection rates increased with audit scores for knee and hip arthroplasty (P value for the slope = .002), and this was also the case for planned (P = .002), and unplanned (P = .02) colorectal surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS

Surveillance systems without routine evaluation of validity may underestimate the true incidence of SSIs. Audit quality should be taken into account when interpreting SSI rates, perhaps by adjusting infection rates for those hospitals with lower audit scores.

Laparoscopic resection reduces superficial surgical site infection in liver surgery

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic liver resection is beneficial compared to open liver resection. This study aimed to evaluate whether laparoscopic liver resection could reduce postoperative infections.

METHODS

This study included 125 and 115 patients with liver tumors who underwent open and pure laparoscopic partial resections or left lateral sectionectomies, respectively. Propensity score matching and stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting were carried out to compare the postoperative infectious complication rates between the two groups.

RESULTS

Patients with tumors located in Couinaud segment 1, 7, or 8; with tumors adjacent to major vessels; or who underwent repeated resections were more likely to receive open resection. After propensity score matching, the superficial incisional surgical site infection rate tended to be lower in the laparoscopic liver resection group than in the open liver resection group. Moreover, overall infectious complication rate and superficial incisional surgical site infection rate were lower in the laparoscopic group (the cohort formed by the stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting).

CONCLUSIONS

Using the laparoscopic approach for partial resections and left lateral sectionectomies for liver tumors, the superficial incisional surgical site infection rate could be reduced.

History and Profile of Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC): Development of a Real Data Collection System for Acute Inpatient Care in Japan

DPC, which is an acronym for “Diagnosis Procedure Combination,” is a patient classification method developed in Japan for inpatients in the acute phase of illness. It was developed as a measuring tool intended to make acute inpatient care transparent, aiming at standardization of Japanese medical care, as well as evaluation and improvement of its quality. Subsequently, this classification method came to be used in the Japanese medical service reimbursement system for acute inpatient care and appropriate allocation of medical resources. Furthermore, it has recently contributed to the development and maintenance of an appropriate medical care provision system at a regional level, which is accomplished based on DPC data used for patient classification. In this paper, we first provide an overview of DPC. Next, we will look back at over 15 years of DPC history; in particular, we will explore how DPC has been refined to become an appropriate medical service reimbursement system. Finally, we will introduce an outline of DPC-related research, starting with research using DPC data.

Risk factors for surgical site infections using a data-driven approach

Objective

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for surgical site infection from digestive, thoracic and orthopaedic system surgeries using clinical and data-driven cut-off values. A second objective was to compare the identified risk factors in this study to risk factors identified in literature.

Summary background data

Retrospective data of 3 250 surgical procedures performed in large tertiary care hospital in The Netherlands during January 2013 to June 2014 were used.

Methods

Potential risk factors were identified using a literature scan and univariate analysis. A multivariate forward-step logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors. Standard medical cut-off values were compared with cut-offs determined from the data.

Results

For digestive, orthopaedic and thoracic system surgical procedures, the risk factors identified were preoperative temperature of ≥38°C and antibiotics used at the time of surgery. C-reactive protein and the duration of the surgery were identified as a risk factors for digestive surgical procedures. Being an adult (age ≥18) was identified as a protective effect for thoracic surgical procedures. Data-driven cut-off values were identified for temperature, age and CRP which can explain the SSI outcome up to 19.5% better than generic cut-off values.

Conclusions

This study identified risk factors for digestive, orthopaedic and thoracic system surgical procedures and illustrated how data-driven cut-offs can add value in the process. Future studies should investigate if data-driven cut-offs can add value to explain the outcome being modelled and not solely rely on standard medical cut-off values to identify risk factors.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Superficial Surgical Site Infections after Appendectomy for Acute Appendicitis: A Secondary Data Analysis

Background: The identification of risk factors for superficial surgical site infections (SSSIs) associated with appendectomy is paramount in the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA). Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis from a prospective multi-center observational study. It included all consecutive hospitalized patients with AA who underwent appendectomy and were monitored for complications at 30 days after the intervention. A case-control approach was used to evaluate risk factors associated with the occurrence of SSSI. Results: Among 2,667 patients, 156 (5.8%) developed an SSSI. The series included 1,449 males (54.3%) and 1,218 females with a median age of 29 years (interquartile range [IQR] 20-45 years). Antimicrobial therapy within the previous 30 days was reported by 170 patients (6.4%), and a C-reactive protein concentration (CRP) >50 mg/L was observed in 609 (22.8%). A total of 960 patients (36.0%) underwent open surgery, 1,699 (63.7%) laparoscopic surgery, and 8 (0.3%) another surgical intervention. In 2,575 patients (95.6%), a pathological appendix was detected during the operation. In 776 patients (29.1%), an intra-operative abdominal drain (IAD) was placed; 125 patients (4.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. The median hospital length of stay was 3 days (IQR 2-5 days). The overall mortality rate was 0.11%. Multinomial logistic regression analysis of risk factors demonstrated that statistically significant risk factors independently associated with the occurrence of SSSIs were antimicrobial therapy within the previous 30 days, CRP >50 mg/L, open surgical procedures, presence of IAD, and intra-operative findings of complex appendicitis. Conclusions: Knowledge of five easily recognizable variables, assessable at hospital admission or as soon as the surgical intervention is concluded, might identify patients with a greater risk of developing an SSSI.

Determinants of superficial surgical site infections in abdominal surgeries at a Rural Teaching Hospital in Central India: A prospective study

Introduction:

Abdominal surgeries have high rate of surgical site infection (SSI), which leads to significant morbidity and financial burden. There is paucity of studies on SSI in rural Indian setup, where there is scarcity of adequate resources. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and determinants of SSI after abdominal surgeries in a rural setup.

Aim:

To determine the incidence of and associated risk factors for superficial SSIs in abdominal surgery cases at a central Indian rural teaching hospital.

Methods:

This cohort study included 100 patients undergoing abdominal surgery between April 2016 and May 2017 at a central Indian rural teaching hospital. The outcome of interest was superficial SSI and the factors associated with it. Association between risk factors and SSI was calculated using either Chi-square test or odds ratio with 95% CI.

Results:

The cumulative incidence rate of superficial SSI was 39% with 95% CI (29.4%–49.2%). The analysis defined 12 variables significantly associated with superficial SSI: middle or elderly age, male gender, diabetes mellitus, preoperative anemia, preoperative hypoalbuminemia, tobacco smoking, higher ASA score, perioperative blood transfusion, drain placement, surgery duration >2 h, contaminated/dirty wound class and emergency surgery. However, economic status and BMI grade of the study subjects were not associated with development of superficial SSI.

Effect of triclosan-coated sutures on the incidence of surgical site infection after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterological surgery: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial in a single center

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infection is one of the most common postoperative complications after gastroenterologic surgery. This study investigated the effect of triclosan-coated sutures in decreasing the incidence of surgical site infections after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterologic surgery.

METHODS

A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled parallel adaptive group-sequential superiority trial was conducted from March 2014 to March 2017 in a single center. Eligible patients were those who underwent gastroenterologic surgery. Patients were allocated randomly to receive either abdominal wall closure with triclosan-coated sutures (the study group) or sutures without triclosan (the control group). The primary end point was the incidence of superficial or deep surgical site infections within 30 days after operation. This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network-Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/), identification number UMIN000013054.

RESULTS

A total of 1,013 patients (study group, 508 patients; control group, 505 patients) were analyzed by a modified intention-to-treat approach. The wounds in 990 (97.7%) of the 1,013 patients were classified as clean-contaminated. The primary end point (incidence of superficial or deep surgical site infections) was 35 (6.9%) of 508 patients in the study group and 30 (5.9%) of 505 in the control group. The incidence of surgical site infections did not differ markedly between the 2 groups (95% confidence interval: 0.686-2.010, P = .609). Of the 65 infections, 42 (64.6%) were superficial surgical site infections, with similar frequencies in the 2 groups, and 23 (35.4%) were deep surgical site infections, again with similar frequencies in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Triclosan-coated sutures did not decrease the incidence of surgical site infections after abdominal wall closure in gastroenterologic surgery.

Novel approaches to surgical site infections: what recommendations can be made?

INTRODUCTION

Surgical site infections (SSI) are one of the most frequent healthcare-associated infections worldwide, representing a substantial burden on the healthcare system and the individual patient. Various risk factors for SSI have been identified, which can be separated into patient-related, procedure-related and other risk factors. Areas covered: Other risk factors relevant for SSI are the season in which surgery is performed, the volume of surgeries in a department, the working atmosphere in the operating room and the indications for surgery. Overall, the risk of SSI is higher during summertime. Higher-volume departments appear to be protective against SSI as does a calm working atmosphere. The frequency of certain types of surgery differs greatly among European countries. The decision to perform surgery appears to be dependent on the patient's condition as well as the healthcare system and financial incentives. Expert commentary: When possible, elective surgery should not be executed during summertime but during cooler times of year. Departments with a high volume of surgical procedures should be given preference. The establishment of a calm working atmosphere is beneficial to a surgeon's performance and can reduce SSI rates. The indications for performing surgery should be carefully reevaluated whenever possible.

Examination of Risk Factors for the Development of Surgical Site Infections

INTRODUCTION

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and surgical site infections (SSI) are a global public health problem. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of SSIs at the Surgical Clinics of the University Clinical Centre Banja Luka and to identify risk factors for the development of SSIs.

METHODS

In order to determine the frequency of SSIs through the incidence compared to the patients operated at the Surgical Clinics of the University Clinical Centre Banja Luka, we conducted a prospective cohort study which encompassed 11.216 operated patients, in the period from November 11^th, 2014 to September 30^th, 2015. In order to identify risk factors for the development of SSIs, a nested case-control study of risk factors for SSIs was conducted. The study group consisted of patients who were diagnosed with SSIs in the period of monitoring, while the control group was consisted of patients without SSIs who corresponded with the study group in age and sex.

RESULTS

The highest values of incidence of SSIs were observed at the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care (2.65%), Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (2.48%) and the Department of Vascular Surgery (2.15%), and the lowest ones at the Department of Urology (0.59%). Among the cases of SSIs, deep infections of the surgical site were the most represented (82.7%). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the following independent risk factors: length of pore-operative stay in hospital (p=0.000; OR=1.062; 95% CI=1.037-1.087), reintervention (p=0.000; OR=22.409; 95% CI=6.361-79.071) and cotrticosteroids (p=0.023; OR=4.141; 95%CI=1.221-14.047).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of SSIs at the Surgical Clinics of the University Clinical Centre Banja Luka is at the level of hospitals in developed countries. There are a number of risk factors for SSIs, which may be prevented.

Hospital-Acquired Infections: Current Trends and Prevention

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are the primary cause of preventable death and disability among hospitalized patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), complications or infections secondary to either device implantation or surgery are referred to as HAIs. Specifically, the CDC monitors surgical site infections, central-line-associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonias. This article explores HAIs specific to pathophysiology, epidemiology, and prevention, and how nurses can work together with other health care providers to decrease the incidence of these preventable complications.