BACKGROUND: A programme for quality assurance and prevention of infection risk during implantation of cardiac medical devices (pacemakers and defibrillators) was set up in our hospital. AIM: We sought to assess surgical site infection rate and compliance with infection-control practices (principally antibiotic prophylaxis). METHODS: Surgical site infections associated with implanted medical devices were monitored in patients during a 6-month period and a 1-year follow-up. Professional practices concerning the use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery were assessed. RESULTS: The surgical site infection rate was 2.3%. Overall compliance was 45% for the use of antibiotic prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis was not reached in the present series, which demonstrated a surgical site infection rate of 2.3%. More effort must be made to achieve full compliance with preventive measures in the implantation of medical devices.
BACKGROUND: A programme for quality assurance and prevention of infection risk during implantation of cardiac medical devices (pacemakers and defibrillators) was set up in our hospital. AIM: We sought to assess surgical site infection rate and compliance with infection-control practices (principally antibiotic prophylaxis). METHODS: Surgical site infections associated with implanted medical devices were monitored in patients during a 6-month period and a 1-year follow-up. Professional practices concerning the use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery were assessed. RESULTS: The surgical site infection rate was 2.3%. Overall compliance was 45% for the use of antibiotic prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis was not reached in the present series, which demonstrated a surgical site infection rate of 2.3%. More effort must be made to achieve full compliance with preventive measures in the implantation of medical devices.
Authors: Preeti Mehrotra; Kalpana Gupta; Judith Strymish; Daniel B Kramer; Anne Lambert-Kerzner; P Michael Ho; Westyn Branch-Elliman Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2017-01-20 Impact factor: 3.254