Counting the Costs of SSIS

A complete summary that details the risks, controls, and prevention options involved with Surgical Site Infections (SSI's).  SSI's are the most frequently found nosocomial infections in the US, and is a hot topic in the realm of infection control.

Mortality, morbidity and additional healthcare costs are often caused by SSI's. In patients without an SSI, the mortality rate was 1.3%, and for those with an SSI it was 5.8%. Also, in this study, 38% of patient deaths with an SSI were directly related to postoperative infection as shown by a French survey done by Astagneau.

In a recent UK survey, similar results were published.  For patients with deep incisional and organ or space SSI's and who had undergone vascular surgery, hip prosthesis, or colon surgery, the mortality rate was significantly higher. This report goes on to describe an increased morbidity in patients suffering from an SSI. It then does not come as a surprise that patients suffering from SSI's were reported to have been transferred to intensive care units more often than those without an SSI.

Read article