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 .
Total Occlusive Ionic Silver-Containing Dressing vs Mupirocin Ointment Application vs Conventional Dressing in Elective Colorectal Surgery: Effect on Incisional Surgical Site Infection.
BACKGROUND Several pre- and intraoperative factors have been associated with incisional surgical site infection ( SSI ) , but little is known about the influence of postoperative wound care and especially , the use of different dressings on incisional SSI . The aim of this study was to compare 3 methods of wound dressings ( conventional dressing , silver-containing dressing , and mupirocin ointment dressing ) for their ability to prevent SSI , as measured by SSI rates , in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective open surgery . STUDY DESIGN A prospect i ve , r and omized study was performed . Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of colorectal neoplasms and plans to undergo elective surgery with curative aims . Patients were r and omized using a 1:1:1 allocation into 3 groups : patients receiving an ionic silver-containing dressing ( ISD ) ( group 1 ) , a mupirocin ointment application ( MOA ) ( group 2 ) , and a conventional dressing ( group 3 or st and ard dressing ) . The primary outcomes variable was occurrence of incisional SSI . Follow-up was 30 days postoperatively . RESULTS A total of 147 patients were included , 49 in each group .  Incisional SSI occurred in 9 patients ( 18.4 % ) in the ISD group , 2 ( 4.1 % ) in the MOA group , and 10 ( 20.4 % ) in the st and ard dressing group ( p = 0.028 ) . Adjusting for multiple comparisons , there were no significant differences between ISD and st and ard dressing groups ; a significant difference was observed between ISD and MOA ( relative risk [ RR ] 4.5 ; 95 % CI ( 1.1 to 19.8 ) ; p = 0.046 ) and between the st and ard group and the MOA group ( RR 5 ; 95 % CI ( 1.2 to 21.7 ) ; p = 0.031 ) . CONCLUSIONS Topical application of mupirocin ointment achieves better results for the prevention of SSI than ionic silver-containing dressing or st and ard dressing in patients undergoing elective open colorectal surgery
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 .