Infection Risk in Sterile Operative Procedures

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infection Control
• Public Health

Background:

• Hospital hygiene and infection prevention aim to protect patients from nosocomial infections.
• The goal of zero infection rates in sterile surgical procedures is a recent proposition.
• This study evaluates the literature supporting the demand for zero infection rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the available literature supports the goal of zero infection rates in sterile surgical procedures.
• To assess the efficacy of infection control measures in reducing nosocomial infections.
• To evaluate the realistic expectations for infection rates in aseptic surgery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Medline and EMBASE databases (last 10 years).
• Meta-analysis conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Search terms included 'aseptic surgery,' 'intervention,' 'surgical site infection,' 'nosocomial infection,' and 'prevention.'

Main Results:

• 204 full-text articles analyzed from 2277 retrieved.
• 7 prospective cohort studies on nosocomial infection reduction after aseptic surgery included.
• Interventions like training, antibiotic prophylaxis, and disinfection showed minimal, insignificant effects on reducing postoperative wound infections (RR 0.99).

Conclusions:

• Multimodal approaches involving various specialists can further reduce postoperative infection rates.
• A zero-infection rate is not a realistic goal and is not supported by current scientific evidence.
• The focus should remain on evidence-based strategies to minimize, rather than eliminate, surgical site infections.