Aiming for Zero: Success of the Hysterectomy Surgical Site Infection Prevention Bundle
Authors: Patel Ushma , Al-Niaimi Ahmed A , Parrette Kelly , Zerbel Sara , Barman Stephanie , Gill Tressa , Heisler Christine 
Published: July 2024

Background: The Center for Disease Control’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reported an increased Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) at a large community hospital, calculated by the number of observed infections over the number of predicted infections. In response to the increased SIR, a multidisciplinary Hysterectomy Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Prevention Workgroup was formed in 2019.

Objective: To promote a surgical site infection prevention bundle that was implemented at a large community hospital to reduce hysterectomy associated surgical site infections.

Study Design: The Workgroup implemented an evidence-based Hysterectomy SSI Prevention Bundle which enforced standardization of measures and techniques at: The pre-operative clinic appointment, the day of surgery, the intra-operative time prior to incision, the intra-operative time from incision to closure, and in the immediate post-operative recovery. The Hysterectomy SSI Prevention Bundle was implemented November 2, 2020. This study included all hysterectomies for benign pathologies from 10/1/2018 to 9/30/2020 [pre-implementation (n=811)] and 1/1/2021 to 9/30/2022 [post-implementation (n=772)]. Per NHSN data categorization guidelines, a designation of abdominal hysterectomy includes both open and laparoscopic routes. Inpatient surgery was defined as that with a date of discharge different from date of operation; outpatient surgery was defined as the one with the same date of discharge. SSIs included superficial, deep and organ/space, while complex SSIs included deep and organ/space. Patient demographics were categorized and evaluated for statistical significance.

Results: After implementation of the SSI bundle, SIR for hysterectomies was reduced to < 1.0, indicating infection prevention. Outpatient abdominal hysterectomy SIR pre-implementation was 2.551 and post-implementation was 0.868 (p=0.007). The outpatient vaginal hysterectomy SIR pre-implementation was 0, and post-implementation remained 0 (p=0.364). Inpatient abdominal hysterectomy SIR pre-implementation was 1.554 and post-implementation was 0.443 (p=0.072). The inpatient vaginal hysterectomy SIR preimple-mentation was 1.064, and post-implementation was 0 (p <0.001). The inpatient complex abdominal hysterectomy SIR pre-implementation was 1.757 and post-implementation was 0 (p=0.040). The inpatient complex vaginal hysterectomy SIR pre-implementation was 1.001, and post-implementation was 0 (p <0.001). Differences between the pre- and post-implementation groups were significant for increased laparoscopic hysterectomies (p<0.001), decreased vaginal hysterectomies (p<0.001), increased number of same day discharges (p<0.001), longer procedure duration (p<0.001), and younger age (p=0.039).

Conclusion: Implementation of an evidence-based surgical site infection prevention bundle at a large community hospital has significantly reduced SIR for inpatient vaginal hysterectomies, outpatient abdominal hysterectomies, and all inpatient complex hysterectomies.