BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infection is generally regarded as the most important postoperative complication. Therefore, on 28 December 2002 a German law was implemented requiring the surveillance of postoperative infections in all hospitals. METHODS: The authors propose using stapes and thyroid surgery to monitor the infection rate in a typical Head and Neck Department. A versatile software (CISS) based on MS Word and MS Excel was developed for this purpose. RESULTS: Postoperative infections were retrospectively analyzed for three subsequent years. The present data confirm the results of previous studies that surveillance itself is a powerful tool in reducing the postoperative infection rate. CONCLUSION: The newly developed software provided an easy tool for the collection of infection data. The reported infection rates in stapes and thyroid surgery are representative of ENT clinics in Germany.
BACKGROUND:Nosocomial infection is generally regarded as the most important postoperative complication. Therefore, on 28 December 2002 a German law was implemented requiring the surveillance of postoperative infections in all hospitals. METHODS: The authors propose using stapes and thyroid surgery to monitor the infection rate in a typical Head and Neck Department. A versatile software (CISS) based on MSWord and MS Excel was developed for this purpose. RESULTS:Postoperative infections were retrospectively analyzed for three subsequent years. The present data confirm the results of previous studies that surveillance itself is a powerful tool in reducing the postoperative infection rate. CONCLUSION: The newly developed software provided an easy tool for the collection of infection data. The reported infection rates in stapes and thyroid surgery are representative of ENT clinics in Germany.
Authors: T G Emori; J R Edwards; D H Culver; C Sartor; L A Stroud; E E Gaunt; T C Horan; R P Gaynes Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 1998-05 Impact factor: 3.254
Authors: T G Emori; D H Culver; T C Horan; W R Jarvis; J W White; D R Olson; S Banerjee; J R Edwards; W J Martone; R P Gaynes Journal: Am J Infect Control Date: 1991-02 Impact factor: 2.918