[Ways to improve ambulatory care for patients with surgical infection]

A deep analysis of purulent surgical diseases and purulent complications in 5,780 out-patients was conducted by means of a specially worked out punch card. Four groups were identified posttraumatic purulent complications--accidental wounds, abscesses, phlegmons, panaris, regional lymphadenitis, osteomyelitis, etc.--3,274 (56.6%); purulent diseases--furuncle, carbuncle, suppurating atheroma, hidradenitis, etc.--2,208 (38.2%); postoperative purulent complications--155 (2.7%), and postinjection purulent complications--143 (2.5%). The prevailing therapeutic measures were surgery and antiseptic agents used during treatment (for irrigation and dressings) of the wounds; the efficacy of these agents was of great significance. The effect of three antiseptics was studied: nitrofurazone 1:5000, dimexid, and electrochemically activated water with pH-2.4. The two first antiseptics were applied both in the first and second phases of inflammation, activated water with pH 2.4 was used only in the first phase, and activated water with pH 11.3 was used in wound dressing in the second stage of healing. The average duration of temporary incapacity was 19.7 +/- 3.2 days in 2,661 patients treated with 1:5000 nitroturazone, 16.2 +/- 2.2 days in 2,700 patients treated with dimexid, and 10.3 +/- 1.4 days in 419 patients treated with activated water. Depending on the methods of wound treatment, the economical losses per patient were 1,380, 982, and 624 roubles, respectively.