Perineal hygiene in patients with pelvic fractures

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Surgical patient care
• Infection prevention

Background:

• High incidence of soiled perinea in patients transferred to a tertiary referral orthopaedic unit was observed.
• Soiled perinea posed risks of increased infection and patient indignity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To audit the problem of soiled perinea in transferred patients.
• To identify the causes of perineal soiling.
• To implement interventions to improve perineal cleanliness.

Main Methods:

• A 2-year audit conducted in three phases (February-June 2004, July-November 2004, February-November 2005).
• Surgeons recorded perineal soiling observations using a questionnaire pre-surgery.
• Key system and clinical guidelines were implemented between phase 1 and phase 2.

Main Results:

• Perineal cleanliness improved significantly across the study phases.
• Phase 1: 32% clean perinea.
• Phase 2: 68% clean perinea.
• Phase 3: 99.5% clean perinea.

Conclusions:

• Implementation of system and clinical guidelines dramatically reduced perineal soiling in transferred patients.
• The improved cleanliness enhances patient safety and dignity.
• The audit demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted interventions in healthcare settings.