SSI Risk Reduced 30% With Novel Preoperative Decontamination

A new presentation published in a recent supplement to Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control suggests preoperative decontamination of surgical sites can greatly reduce surgical site infections.

 

Researchers used a combination of intranasal antimicrobial photodisinfection therapy and chlohexidine body wipes both the night before and the day of operation on patients undergoing elective cardiac, orthopedic, spine, vascular, thoracic and neuro- surgery. 

 

After a three month monitoring period, the research team noted that the disinfection protocol decreased SSIs by more than 1 percent and reduced the risk of a Staphylococcus aureus infection by nearly 30 percent.

 

The researchers estimated that decrease in SSIs saved $1.15 million dollars in treatment costs over three months.