From the patient ’s perspective , an infection delays healing , can increase time away from work or family , and can cause additional pain and complications ( eg , sepsis , long-term disabilities , death ) .
urgical site infections ( SSIs ) continue to cause significant patient harm despite many advances in Sinfection prevention .
The negative effects of SSIs on morbidity , mortality , and the cost of care has kept SSI reduction a top priority for health care organizations worldwide .
A 2011 systematic review found that approximately 55 % of SSIs in the United States may be preventable by using evidence -based guidelines .
Surgical site infections following colorectal cancer surgery: a randomized prospective trial comparing common and advanced antimicrobial dressing containing ionic silver
Background An antimicrobial dressing containing ionic silver was found effective in reducing surgical-site infection in a preliminary study of colorectal cancer elective surgery . We decided to test this finding in a r and omized , double-blind trial . Methods Adults undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery at two university-affiliated hospitals were r and omly assigned to have the surgical incision dressed with Aquacel ® Ag Hydrofiber dressing or a common dressing . To blind the patient and the nursing and medical staff to the nature of the dressing used , scrub nurses covered Aquacel ® Ag Hydrofiber with a common wound dressing in the experimental arm , whereas a double common dressing was applied to patients of control group . The primary end-point of the study was the occurrence of any surgical-site infection within 30 days of surgery . Results A total of 112 patients ( 58 in the experimental arm and 54 in the control group ) qualified for primary end-point analysis . The characteristics of the patient population and their surgical procedures were similar . The overall rate of surgical-site infection was lower in the experimental group ( 11.1 % center 1 , 17.5 % center 2 ; overall 15.5 % ) than in controls ( 14.3 % center 1 , 24.2 % center 2 , overall 20.4 % ) , but the observed difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.451 ) , even with respect to surgical-site infection grade 1 ( superficial ) versus grade s 2 and 3 , or grade 1 and 2 versus grade 3 . Conclusions This r and omized trial did not confirm a statistically significant superiority of Aquacel ® Ag Hydrofiber dressing in reducing surgical-site infection after elective colorectal cancer surgery . Trial registration Clinical trials.gov :
From the patient ’s perspective , an infection delays healing , can increase time away from work or family , and can cause additional pain and complications ( eg , sepsis , long-term disabilities , death ) .
urgical site infections ( SSIs ) continue to cause significant patient harm despite many advances in Sinfection prevention .
The negative effects of SSIs on morbidity , mortality , and the cost of care has kept SSI reduction a top priority for health care organizations worldwide .
A 2011 systematic review found that approximately 55 % of SSIs in the United States may be preventable by using evidence -based guidelines .