A surgical site infection (SSI) is an infection that occurs at the site of a surgical incision, either on the skin, tissues, or organs involved in the surgery. SSIs are a type of healthcare-associated infection and can range from superficial skin infections to deep tissue or organ infections. They are a significant concern because they can lead to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and even mortality.
Key aspects of surgical site infections:
- Causes:SSIs are primarily caused by bacteria that enter the body through the surgical incision. These bacteria can originate from the patient’s own skin, surgical instruments, or the environment.
- Types:SSIs are classified based on the depth of the infection:
- Superficial incisional SSI: Affects only the skin and subcutaneous tissue.
- Deep incisional SSI: Involves deeper tissues, such as muscle and surrounding tissue.
- Organ or space SSI: Occurs in any area of the body other than the skin, muscle, and surrounding tissue that was involved in the surgery.
- Symptoms:Symptoms can include redness, pain, swelling, warmth, and discharge (pus) from the surgical wound. Fever and chills may also indicate an SSI.
- Risk Factors:Various patient and procedure-related factors can increase the risk of SSIs, such as age, tobacco use, diabetes, emergency surgery, and the degree of bacterial contamination at the surgical site.
- Prevention:Prevention strategies include meticulous surgical technique, appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, proper skin preparation, and maintaining a sterile environment.
- Treatment:SSIs are typically treated with antibiotics, and in some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to drain infected areas or remove infected tissue.
Click On The Link Below To Register
Disclaimer
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by PERIOPERATIVE PRACTICE: REDUCING THE CHANCE OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
