The use of protocolised care bundle to prevent paediatric cardiac surgical site infection in resource-limited setting

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
• Infection Control
• Public Health

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric cardiac surgery.
• Establishing effective infection prevention strategies is crucial, especially in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the approach and experience of using a modified care bundle to prevent SSIs.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of standardized guidelines in a newly established pediatric cardiac surgical unit in Turkey.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective data collection from 96 pediatric patients undergoing 127 cardiac surgical procedures between 2019 and 2021.
• Inclusion of demographic data, disease characteristics, surgical details, RACHS-1 scores, and post-operative outcomes.
• Monitoring for surgical site infections and late infections.

Main Results:

• High adherence to the care bundle protocol (94% pre-operative, 100% intra-operative, 96% post-operative).
• Zero reported surgical site infections and no late infections observed during the follow-up period.
• Successful implementation in a low-income region of Turkey.

Conclusions:

• A nil rate of surgical site infection is achievable with standardized, locally adapted prevention guidelines.
• The modified care bundle proved effective in preventing SSIs in a new pediatric cardiac surgery unit.
• This strategy offers a model for infection control in similar settings.