Addressing the challenge of surgical site infections (SSI)
The number of surgical procedures performed in the industrialised nations of Europe is steadily increasing.
The number of surgical procedures performed in the industrialised nations of Europe is steadily increasing.
The majority of SSI following major vascular surgery only develop after discharge from hospital.
Postoperative wound infections (SSI) are the most common nosocomial infections in German acute-care hospitals.
Accounting for approx. 24 %, SSIs are the most frequent nosocomial infections in German acute-care hospitals, while the risk of infection depends on the type of operation. Bacteria, rarely in combination with fungi, are the most common pathogens of an SSI, and the spectrum of pathogens varies depending on the surgical site and type of operation, respectively. Based on the OP-KISS (German surgical site infection surveillance) data from 2010 to 2014, the Robert Koch-Institute reports the following bacteria shares for selected surgical procedures 1:
Recommendations in three phases: preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, the anticipated SSI rate varies depending on the type of operation that the patient has undergone, the contamination class of the operation, patient-related risks, operation-specific risks, as well as on other factors.
Targeted and non-targeted surface disinfection as a measure of infection prevention and control
In 2016, the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infectious Disease Prevention (KRINKO) at the Robert Koch-Institute (RKI) updated its recommendations for hand hygiene.