Antimicrobial Challenge in Acute Care Surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical infections
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Healthcare-associated infections

Background:

• Acute care surgery (ACS) incurs substantial financial costs and patient morbidity due to high infection rates.
• Healthcare facilities are environments where infections and multi-resistant organisms can emerge and spread.
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical public health issue exacerbating patient outcomes and healthcare expenses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key aspects of infection management in acute care surgery.
• To discuss antimicrobial resistance and systemic inflammatory response in ACS.
• To outline essential infection control and antimicrobial stewardship strategies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current evidence on infection management in ACS.
• Analysis of data on healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance.
• Synthesis of best practices in infection prevention and source control.

Main Results:

• Infections in ACS pose a significant burden, with millions of admissions and billions in costs annually in the US.
• Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect millions globally, leading to substantial direct mortality.
• Antimicrobial resistance significantly worsens patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.

Conclusions:

• Optimal patient care in ACS necessitates evidence-based strategies to mitigate HAIs and AMR.
• Effective infection management includes source control, prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship.
• Addressing antimicrobial resistance and inflammatory response is crucial for improving ACS patient outcomes.