Does double gloving reduce SSI rates? What evidence exists to support the use of antimicrobial impregnated gloves?

Surginfection

The use of gloves in healthcare associated infection. Current controversies

What is the best solution to use for surgical scrubbing?

Surgical hand antisepsis to reduce surgical site infection.

Placing subcut drains intra-operatively in high risk patients

Effects of subcutaneous drain for the prevention of incisional SSI in high-risk patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

What constitutes best practice intra-operatively to minimise SSI

Intra-operative technique as a factor in the prevention of surgical site infection

What are the compliance rates of surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists to infection prevention peri-operatively? This study in a maltese hospital assesses these compliance rates

Pre-educational intervention survey of healthcare practitioners' compliance with infection prevention measures in cardiothoracic surgery: low compliance but internationally comparable surgical site infection rate.

Our website www.surginfection.com was used as part of a blended learning initiative in our local hospital. We report on the use of audit to tailor make targeted educational interventions as well as detail website acess data for the first 6 weeks following it going live online.

A targeted e-learning programme for surgical trainees to enhance patient safety in preventing surgical infection

Could patient education improve infection control practices with regards to IV lines in surgical patients? This study exmaines a cohort of surgical patients with peripheral iv lines and determines the level of patient awareness with regard to the indication for insertion

Role of patient awareness in prevention of peripheral vascular catheter-related bloodstream infection

Is it a case of the more surgical checklists the better? Following on from the SSSL peri-operative checklist from the WHO, this team of researchers from the Netherlands examine whether a checklist encompassing both pre- and post-operative phases of a patients in-hospital journey can decrease adverse surgical events

Effect of a comprehensive surgical safety system on patient outcomes

This study is a randomised controlled multicentre trial from the USA, published in the NEJM. In it it compares chlorhexidine-alcohol against povidone-iodine to determine which is most effective as pre-operative surgical site antisepsis in prevention of surgical site infection

Chlorhexidine-Alcohol versus Povidone-Iodine for Surgical-Site Antisepsis

This study, published in the ANZ J Surgery 2010 is a randomized controlled trial assessing whether the wearing of face masks by non scrubbed personnel in operating theatres is in fact associated with a decreased risk of SSI to the patient

Use of face masks by non-scrubbed operating room staff: a randomized controlled trial

This study published in the Am J Surg in June 2010 (epub ahead of print) is an assessment in two US hospitals of compliance to best practice in terms of surgical prophylaxis choice, timing and duration, as well as maintenance of patient normothermia intra-operatively

Compliance with guidelines to prevent surgical site infections: As simple as 1-2-3?

This study published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2010 examines whether eradication of staph aureus in patients colonised leads to decreased healthcare-association infection by S. aureus

Preventing Surgical-Site Infections in Nasal Carriers of Staphlococcus aureus

A study of CT sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing necrotising soft tissue infection

Diagnosis of Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections by Computed Tomography

A study of nearly 3,500 skin lesion exicisons examining factors and practice associated with an increased SSI rate.

Infection control practices and infectious complications in dermatological surgery

Every week we review a recently published peer-reviewed article in the field of surgery and surgical infection prevention, summarising what you, the surgical trainee need to know

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