Surgical Wounds are Calculated Risks

Surgical site infection (SSI) is the second most common hospital acquired infection. Based on the degree of microbial contamination at the time of surgery, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a system to track the incidence of surgical site infections. In a sense, providing the best chance for its prevention.

Surgical wounds are classified into four categories, with each category associated with increasing rates of surgical site infections. According to the latest global data, the risk of SSI increases significantly from clean to dirty wounds, with rates for dirty wounds reaching 9.8% and comparable patterns observed worldwide. More diverse, resistant, and polymicrobial isolates are linked to increased wound contamination and class, particularly in emergency and trauma situations. Furthermore, geographical location and specialization also affect SSI rates.

During the perioperative phase, it is critical to identify risk factors and implement evidence-based interventions. To ensure accurate and effective SSI prevention and deliver high-quality care, healthcare professionals need to be knowledgeable about evidence-based guidelines.

A multidisciplinary SSI taskforce can include EMR verification prompts, audit cases, correct errors, disseminate findings and educate staff members about definitions and best practices.

Since eradication of SSI is almost impossible thus the aim should be to reduce the incidence of SSI. Surgical wounds can therefore be effectively treated because they are calculated risks.

References

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