Surgical Site Infections: Prevention Strategies And Treatment Options

Surgeries play an important role in helping patients battle multiple injuries and illnesses. They are critical procedures that are capable of bringing a patient out of danger. However, at times, the same procedures can lead to infections, worsening the conditions of patients.

These surgical site infections should be taken seriously by surgeons and their medical staff. Hospitals often encourage all healthcare workers to maintain high standards of hygiene to prevent such infections from hampering a patient’s recovery journey. However, the smallest negligence can make patients suffer.

Let us quickly understand these infections before having a look at suitable prevention strategies and treatment options for them:

What Are Surgical Site Infections?

Surgical site infections are the infections caused when the germs present during surgeries get into patients’ bodies through incisions. A surgical procedure often makes a patient’s body extremely vulnerable. The smallest lapse in safety and precision can lead to such complications.

Every year, several patients get contaminated by such germs and experience the symptoms of infections after getting out of operation theaters. Surgical site infections also increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, making matters worse for patients.

A lack of intraoperative hygiene and careless mistakes of surgeons are the most common causes of these infections. The saddest part about surgical site infections is that they are easily avoidable. A few direct and strict hygiene protocols in hospitals can significantly reduce them, keeping the patients safe.

Prevention Strategies For Surgical Site Infections

As mentioned earlier, most surgical site infections are easily avoidable. Let us take a look at the most effective prevention strategies for the same:

Thorough Preoperative Preparations

Before surgery begins, surgeons and their team members should prepare themselves to avoid any possible infections. From ensuring that the patient is not at risk of infections to administering the right antibiotics before the operation, it is advisable for healthcare professionals to take all necessary precautions to keep infections at bay.

Proper Operative Techniques

Along with being mindful of preoperative preparations, surgeons and their teams should also follow proper operative techniques for surgeries. Most patients prefer going through minimally invasive procedures to minimize the risk of infections.

Surgeons are also responsible for using sterile techniques throughout their surgical procedures. Moreover, it is better to minimize the duration of surgeries without compromising the outcome. Similarly, having fewer people in an operation theater reduces the risk of infections.

Using Sterile Equipment

The equipment used by surgeons and their team members has a direct influence on surgical site infections. Every healthcare professional should use only sterile and thoroughly sanitized equipment during surgeries. This extends to gowns, gloves, masks, and every piece of attire worn by healthcare workers during surgeries.

Comprehensive Post-operative Care

Prevention strategies for surgical site infections are not limited to the duration of surgeries. Surgeons and other healthcare workers are expected to provide comprehensive post-operative care to their patients long after the surgery is complete. They should maintain a hygienic environment around the patient and monitor the surgical site for possible causes of infections. Nurses are often asked to remove dressings the moment they get drenched with blood or other discharges.

Such infection is a major reason why more and more people are switching to home nursing services. Instead of staying at the hospital after surgery, receiving the same level of postoperative care at home is better to stay away from all kinds of infections.

Preparing The Skin

To ensure that the germs do not contaminate a patient’s body, surgeons should be judicious in applying antiseptic solutions to their patients’ skin before operating on them. They should also be aware of the local resistance patterns before going ahead with their surgeries.

Sufficient Nutritional Support

A lack of proper nutrition often increases a patient’s susceptibility to infections. Depending on the kind of surgery they are going for, healthcare professionals should ensure that their patients receive the right nutritional support.

Must Read: Ensuring Successful Suture Removal With Professional Home Care Services

Treatment Options For Surgical Site Infections

Once surgical site infections are caused, they should be treated without any delay. A patient may experience symptoms during their hospital stay or after returning home.

While it is advisable to consult your doctor first, here are the most effective treatment options for surgical site infections:

Antibiotics

Most doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat such infections. The antibiotic recommended to you will depend on the kind of germ causing the infection. This will also depend on your body’s sensitivity to antibiotics.

Comprehensive Wound Care

Another effective way of tackling surgical site infections is holistic wound care. Ensure that the medical staff at the hospital or the caregivers offering home nursing services clean your wound, remove dead tissues, and apply dressings as and when needed.

Surgical Drain

If needed, a doctor may recommend adding a surgical drain to deal with these infections. A drain helps healthcare professionals remove risky fluids from your body, freeing your body from infections.

Controlling Underlying Conditions

If specific underlying conditions like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, etc. make infections worse, healthcare professionals will do their best to control them to help you get rid of your infection. Ensure that you cooperate with your doctor and their qualified assistants to recover as quickly as possible.

Surgical Intervention

If there is no other way out, your doctor may ask you to go under the scissors once again to treat your surgical site infection. However, this is a rare care. Most infection cases are resolved without the need for additional surgery.

Receive Impeccable Postoperative Care At Home To Avoid Surgical Site Infections With Docville

If you want to minimize the risk of infections after surgery, Docville helps you recover from the comfort of your home. With us, you get access to experienced general physicians and a trained nursing staff that visits your home regularly. Docville facilitates both long-term and short-term nursing care depending on your healthcare needs. If your loved one is critically ill and you want to keep them away from infections, Docville also helps you set up an ICU at home.

Must Read:  Post-surgery Home Care: Supporting Recovery In Familiar Surroundings