Surgical Site Infections Are Associated With Higher Blood Loss and Open Access in General Thoracic Practice

Extensive analysis of risk factors associated with surgical site infections post-cardiothoracic open surgery

Surgical site infections (SSIs) post-cardiothoracic surgery represent a significant challenge in patient care. Understanding the risk factors contributing to SSIs is essential for improving surgical outcomes and patient safety. A comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted at our institution from January 2021 to December 2022. This study included 30 patients with SSIs and 60 without, following cardiothoracic open surgery. Data were collected on various variables, including hypertension, anaemia, operation time, hospital stay, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, Body Mass Index, age, and drainage tube placement. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed using SPSS software to identify significant predictors of SSIs. Univariate analysis indicated a strong correlation between SSIs and factors like smoking, diabetes mellitus, drainage tube placement, anaemia, and significant intraoperative blood loss (≥800 mL). These factors were statistically significant with p-values < 0.05. Multivariate logistic regression further confirmed the impact of these factors, with high odds ratios indicating a substantial increase in SSI risk associated with these conditions. This study highlights intraoperative blood loss, anaemia, drainage tube placement, smoking, and diabetes mellitus as key risk factors for SSIs post-cardiothoracic surgery. Recognising and addressing these factors through targeted preventive measures is crucial in clinical practice to reduce the incidence of SSIs and improve postoperative care in cardiothoracic surgery.

Principles of minimize bleeding and the transfusion of blood and its components in operated patients - surgical aspects

One of the target of perioperative tratment in surgery is decreasing intraoperative bleeding, which increases the number of perioperative procedures, mortality and treatment costs, and also causes the risk of transfusion of blood and its components. Trying to minimize the blood loss(mainly during the operation) as well as the need to transfuse blood and its components (broadly understood perioperative period) should be standard treatment for a patient undergoing a procedure. In the case of this method, the following steps should be taken: 1) in the preoperative period: identyfication of risk groups as quickly as possible, detecting and treating anemia, applying prehabilitation, modyfying anticoagulant treatment, considering donating one's own blood in some patients and in selected cases erythropoietin preparations; 2) in the perioperative period: aim for normothermia, normovolemia and normoglycemia, use of surgical methods that reduce bleeding, such as minimally invasive surgery, high-energy coagulation, local hemostatics, prevention of surgical site infection, proper transfusion of blood and its components if it occurs; 3) in the postoperative period: monitor the condition of patients, primarily for the detection of bleeding, rapid reoperation if required, suplementation (oral administration preferred) nutrition with microelements (iron) and vitamins, updating its general condition. All these activities, comprehensively and in surgical cooperation with the anesthesiologist, should reduce the blood loss and transfusion of blood and its components.

Timing of Complications Following Surgery for Distal Femur Fractures in Older Adults

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to identify the timing and nature of complications associated with distal femur fracture surgery in patients aged 65 and older using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database.

Methods

The ACS NSQIP database was queried for adults aged 65 and older who received surgical treatment for a distal femur fracture between 01 January 2015 and 31 December 2021. Cox regression models and risk tables adjusted for baseline clinical characteristics were created for 14 complications (Superficial Surgical Site Infection (SSI), Deep SSI, Organ/Space SSI, Pneumonia, Pulmonary Embolism (PE), Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Stroke/Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), Myocardial Infarction (MI), Renal Failure, Cardiac Arrest (CA), Re-operation, Sepsis, and Death within 30 days of surgery). Model summaries were used to identify significant variables with a Bonferroni correction applied.

Results

A total of 3956 adults met inclusion criteria and were included in analysis. The most common complications were UTI (5.2%), death (4.1%), and pneumonia (3.4%). Complications typically occurred within 14 days after surgery, except for SSI, which occurred between post-op days 11 and 24.

Conclusions

Distal femur fractures are a substantial source of morbidity and mortality in the older adult population. Our findings underscore the need for comprehensive preoperative risk assessment and patient management strategies to mitigate the impact of identified risk factors in this vulnerable population.

Understanding risk factors and microbial trends implicated in the development of Whipple-related surgical-site infections

Objective

The purpose of this study is to understand the role of risk factors and postoperative complications seen in patients undergoing Whipple procedures in the development of surgical site infections. Our secondary goal was to evaluate whether microbial patterns differed between preoperative antibiotic classes, offering insight into the effectiveness of current practices while promoting antibiotic stewardship.

Design

We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing patients with and without SSIs.

Setting

This study was conducted at a tertiary-care center in the southeastern United States.

Participants

Patients who underwent a Whipple procedure between 2012 and 2021 were acquired from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database.

Results

Patients with a bleeding disorder reported higher SSI rates (P = .04), whereas patients with a biliary stent reported lower surgical site infection (SSI) rates (P = .02) Those with postoperative complications had higher SSI rates, including delayed gastric emptying (P < .001) and pancreatic fistula (P < .001). Patients with longer operative times were 1.002 times more likely to develop SSIs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001-1.004; P = .006) whereas surgical indications for malignancy correlated with decreased SSIs risk (aOR, 0.578; 95% CI, 0.386-866) when adjusting for body mass index, surgical indication, and duration of surgical procedure.

Conclusions

Optimizing preoperative management of modifiable risk factors for patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomies and decreasing operative times may reduce SSI rates and patient and hospital burden. Further research is needed to understand whether stent placement reduces SSI risk in pancreatoduodenectomy.

Intraoperative incision irrigation with high-volume saline reduces surgical site infection for abdominal infections

Purpose

Surgical site infection (SSI) remains one of the most common postoperative complications for patients with abdominal infections. This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of high-volume normal saline (NS) irrigation in preventing postoperative SSI for patients with abdominal infections.

Methods

In this retrospective before-after clinical study, patients who underwent emergency laparotomy due to abdominal infections between Jan 2015 and Dec 2021 were included consecutively. A cohort of 207 patients with NS irrigation was compared to historical controls. A propensity score matching (PSM) with a 1:1 ratio was performed to reduce potential bias. The primary outcome was the 30-day SSI rate.

Results

Irrigation (n = 207) and control (n = 207) matched patients were statistically identical on baseline characteristics, perioperative, and intraoperative parameters. Irrigation patients had lower overall SSI rates (10.6% vs. 26.1%, p &lt; 0.001), mainly due to reduction in superficial (4.3% vs. 17.9%) and deep (1.4% vs. 3.9%) SSIs, rather than space/organ SSIs (4.8% vs. 4.3%). Irrigation patients also had lower rates of incision seroma (4.8% vs. 11.6%, p = 0.012), shorter duration of antibiotics use (5.2 ± 1.7 d vs. 7.2 ± 2.0 d, p &lt; 0.001), and unplanned readmission (1.0% vs. 8.7%, p &lt; 0.001). Length of hospital stay showed a declining trend with irrigation intervention, while no significant difference was observed. Moreoever, logistic regression revealed that NS irrigationwas an independent protector against SSI (OR 0.309; 95% CI, 0.207–0.462; p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusion

Intraoperative incision irrigation with high-volume NS is associated with a lower rate of SSI for patients with abdominal infections.

Surgical site infection following minimally invasive lobectomy: Is robotic surgery superior?

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) in thoracic surgery remains a significant cause of morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has significantly reduced the risk of SSI. We intended to compare whether there was difference between video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robotic‐assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) in SSI and highlight possible factors influencing SSI in lobectomy.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed patients who underwent minimally invasive lobectomy from January 2018 to December 2019. All patients' clinical characteristics and surgery‐related information which may be related to the likelihood of SSI were recorded.

Results

A total of 1231 patients' records were reviewed with 806 VATS and 425 RATS. SSI was classified as deep or superficial SSI. Eighty‐six (7.0%) patients were found to develop an SSI with 62 patients having deep infections and 24 had superficial infection. No statistical difference in the incidence rate and category of SSI was observed between patients undergoing VATS and RATS.

Conclusions

There was no difference in the incidence of SSI between VATS and RATS lobectomy. Male gender, heavy smoking, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, body mass index (BMI) > 27.9, more blood loss, and the higher National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) risk index score (1 or 2) were the independent risk factors of SSI following minimally invasive lobectomy, while male gender, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, BMI > 27.9, more blood loss and the higher NHSN risk index score (1 or 2) were the main predictors of deep SSI.