Rates of Surgical site infections (SSIs) have been reported at 3.9% for open hysterectomy and 1.4% for minimally invasive procedures. Hysterectomy is reported to have a SSI rate of 1.7% according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). This article discusses various evidence-based interventions that may decrease SSI occurrence. SSIs are a significant source of mortality as well as added health care costs. In gynecologic surgery, particularly hysterectomy, SSIs are often the result of a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
Based on the literature review, following 6 perioperative measures were found to decrease SSI risk: 1. Appropriate selection and timing of prophylactic antibiotics The prophylactic antibiotic regimen should include an agent effective against the most likely infecting organisms. In 2013, antibiotic timing noncompliance was reported to be 27%. All…
