SURGICAL SITE INFECTION (SSI) SYNOPSIS, INCLUDING MODIFIABLE AND NON-MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS Estimated 45,000 SSIs occur annually in Australia leading to approximately 900 deaths.
Reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) involves a combination of measures before, during, and after surgery. These include preoperative measures, with preoperative antibiotics, skin preparation and hair removal.
Intraoperative measures including deploying sterile and proper surgical technique, including maintaining normothermia or body temperature within ranges that optimise immune function and wound healing.
Postoperative measures include surgical wound management, using appropriate dressing changes, and anti-bacterial sutures. The mobilisation of the patient is continued to improve circulation and promote healing, as well as the monitoring and surveillance of signs of infection.
Some of these measures are discussed by Professor Philip Russo, a healthcare researcher and the Director of Research at Nursing and Midwifery at Monash University in Melbourne.
Professor Russo has dedicated the last decade to studying healthcare-associated infection and infection prevention and control. His focus has been on surgical site infections, which are common in hospital settings.
He talks about surgical site infections classified as either superficial, involving only the subcutaneous tissue, or deep, which may involve muscle, bone, or organs. These infections occur after a surgical procedure, manifesting as redness, soreness, and fever around the surgical site. While superficial infections are generally easier to treat with a short course of antibiotics and are often managed outside the hospital, deep and organ space infections are more serious and can be life-threatening. They often require long courses of antimicrobial therapy and may necessitate additional surgical intervention, leading to extended hospital stays and increased morbidity and mortality.
Talking to the Australian Health Journal, Professor Russo states there is a particular concern in joint operations, such as hip or knee replacements, as infections in these areas can have severe consequences, including the removal of the infected joint, prolonged treatment, and significant costs for both hospitals and patients. Despite the substantial impact of surgical site infections, Australia lacks a national surveillance program for these infections, making it challenging to obtain accurate data. However, an estimate suggests that around 45,000 surgical site infections occur annually in Australia, resulting in approximately 900 deaths.
To better understand the prevalence of surgical site infections, Professor Russo and his team conducted a point prevalence survey in 19 acute large hospitals across Australia. The survey revealed that approximately 10% of patients had an infection, with surgical site infections accounting for around 28% of these cases, making them the most common type of infection found in adults in acute care hospitals in 2017-2018.
Professor Russo also highlights various risk factors that contribute to the development of surgical site infections, including non-modifiable factors such as age, gender, and immune status, as well as modifiable factors like diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use. By addressing these risk factors before and during surgery, the likelihood of infection can be reduced.
Through his research, Professor Russo aims to raise awareness about the significant impact of surgical site infections and the importance of implementing preventive measures to reduce their occurrence and improve patient outcomes.
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Making clinical trials participant friendly
Clinical trials are essential in developing new, improved, and more effective treatments and interventions. Without trials, researchers and professionals in the field cannot properly determine whether these new treatments and interventions are safe and effective.
The Clinials platform is geared towards patient centric trials and reducing site burden. The aim is to accelerate lifesaving medicines coming to market by connecting participants and researchers. The platform allows participants to come to researchers with their eligibility in hand among other capabilities.
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Pathology technology at a crossroads
The CEO of Pathology Technology Australia, Dean Whiting spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– Pathology Technology Australia’s key priorities in the coming years
– Current local capability in pathology technology compared to other countries
– How the health system supports change and adoption of pathology technology
– How pathology is perceived by the public and in government as well as how developments in pathology technology are followed and understood
– Observations in the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce ReportIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Landmark Australian-led study revises thresholds to diagnose and treat anaemia
In 2014, WEHI researchers began a study at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), to formally review its global anaemia guidelines that were last updated in 1968.
Study lead and Acting WEHI Deputy Director, Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha, speaking to Australian Health Journal said while anaemia can be diagnosed by measuring the amount of haemoglobin in the blood, there is currently no consensus on the thresholds that should be used to define the condition.
