Surgical-Site Infections After Ambulatory Surgery
Surgical-Site Infections After Ambulatory Surgery
Owens PL, Barrett ML, Raetzman S, Maggard-Gibbons M, Steiner CA
JAMA. 2014;311:709-716
The aim of this report was to analyze surgical-site infections after ambulatory surgery, based on more than 284,000 patients treated in 8 states. Surgical infection rates were measured at 2 weeks and at 1 month. For all surgical-site infections, the 2-week rate was 3.1 per 1000 operations, and the 1-month rate was 4.8 per 1000 procedures. Only laparoscopic hernia repairs had lower infection rates than open surgical procedures.
The observed rates of infection are low -- only about 0.3% after 2 weeks and 0.5% after a month, but because ambulatory surgery is performed so frequently, increasing our efforts to avoid these infections will be important. Many of these infections occur before the first scheduled postoperative visit, and when an infection does occur, most of those patients require hospitalization. It seems logical that scheduling the first postoperative visit sooner would allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment, thus avoiding the need for hospitalization.
Abstract
Surgical Site Infections Following Ambulatory Surgery Procedures
Owens PL, Barrett ML, Raetzman S, Maggard-Gibbons M, Steiner CA
JAMA. 2014;311:709-716
Summary
The aim of this report was to analyze surgical-site infections after ambulatory surgery, based on more than 284,000 patients treated in 8 states. Surgical infection rates were measured at 2 weeks and at 1 month. For all surgical-site infections, the 2-week rate was 3.1 per 1000 operations, and the 1-month rate was 4.8 per 1000 procedures. Only laparoscopic hernia repairs had lower infection rates than open surgical procedures.
Viewpoint
The observed rates of infection are low -- only about 0.3% after 2 weeks and 0.5% after a month, but because ambulatory surgery is performed so frequently, increasing our efforts to avoid these infections will be important. Many of these infections occur before the first scheduled postoperative visit, and when an infection does occur, most of those patients require hospitalization. It seems logical that scheduling the first postoperative visit sooner would allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment, thus avoiding the need for hospitalization.
Abstract
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