Surgical Care Improvement/Surgical Infection
Prevention
Hospitals can improve surgical care and reduce the risk of
wound infection after surgery by providing the right medicines
at the right time on the day of surgery. Sometimes patients
get an infection after surgery, even if the hospital took
steps to prevent it. Here are signs to look out for:
- The surgical wound is red, hot, and swollen.
- You have a fever of over 100 degrees after you go home.
- A smelly or yellow/green fluid is coming out of the wound.
- Your pain is increasing even though you are taking pain
medication.
Call your doctor or local hospital immediately if you have
any of these signs.
Key Indicators
Scientific evidence indicates that the following measures
represent the best practices for the prevention of infections
after selected surgeries (colon surgery, hip and knee arthroplasty,
abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy, cardiac surgery (including
coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG)) and vascular surgery).
Higher scores are better.
- Prophylactic Antibiotic Received Within 1 Hour
Prior to Surgical Incision
Research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics
within the hour before their operation are less likely to
get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or
after surgery begins, is not as effective.
- Prophylactic Antibiotics Discontinued Within
24 Hours After Surgery End Time
While the likelihood of infection after surgery can be reduced
by giving patients preventative antibiotics, taking these
antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery
is usually not necessary and can increase the risk of side
effects such as stomach aches, serious types of diarrhea,
and antibiotic resistance (when antibiotics are used too
much, they will not work anymore.) Talk to your doctor if
you have questions about how long you should take antibiotics
after surgery.
- Prophylactic Antibiotic Selection
Certain antibiotics are recommended to help prevent wound
infection for particular types of surgery. It is important
that hospital surgical patients get the appropriate antibiotic
in order to prevent a surgical wound infection.
- Treatments Ordered by Doctors to Prevent Blood
Clots (Venous Thromboembolism) for Certain Types of Surgeries
Certain types of surgery can increase the risk of blood
clots forming in the veins. This is because patients don’t
move much during and, usually, after some surgeries. Venous
thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus)
forms in a vein. This clot can limit blood flow, causing
swelling, redness and pain. Most commonly, clots occur in
the legs, thighs, or pelvis. If a part or all of the clot
breaks off from where it was formed, it can travel through
the veins. The part that breaks off is called an embolus.
If the embolus lodges in the lung, it is called a pulmonary
embolism, a serious condition that can cause death. A number
of factors can increase a patient’s risk of developing
blood clots, but doctors can order preventive treatments
called prophylaxis to reduce the risk. Prophylaxis may include
blood thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or
mechanical air stockings that promote circulation in the
legs.
- Treatment Received by Patients to Prevent Blood
Clots Within 24 Hours Before or After Selected Surgeries
Treatment(s) to prevent blood clots must be given at the
right time to prevent blood clots forming after selected
surgeries.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Hospital Compare
Additional Resources
To obtain more quality information regarding Surgical Care
Improvement/Surgical Infection Prevention, please visit the
websites:
The Joint Commission and the U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services Hospital Compare.
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