Published Paper Details:

ABSTRACT IMPORTANCE : SSIs occur either during or up to 30 days after a surgical procedure, largely avoidable with proper infection control measures. SSIs often need to be treated with additional antibiotics, and may require interventional procedures or even re-operation. SSIs can lead to major complications, including death, as well as significantly increase the cost of care. This review focuses on postoperative strategies specifically aiming to prevent SSI, rather than other surgical site incidences or complications. OBJECTIVE : On completion of this article, the reader should be able to understand and summarize surgical care improvement and post operative wound care to reduce surgical site infection. METHODS : A vigorous, maximum sensitive and online search of the literature was performed in published articles in the last 24 years (JUNE 2000-JUNE 2024). The databases searched were MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Cochrane Library. CONCLUSION : Largely avoidable with proper infection control measures, SSIs occur either during or up to 30 days after a surgical procedure. SSIs often need to be treated with additional antibiotics, and may require interventional procedures or even re-operation. SSIs can lead to major complications, including death, as well as significantly increase the cost of care. It is estimated that, at the very least, 5% of patients who undergo surgery develop a surgical site infection (SSI). There has been much interest in the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) as a prophylactic treatment to reduce the risk of SSI. Evidence suggests it can accelerate healing times, reduce both the length of hospital stay and the frequency of dressing changes, and improve patients' quality of life.