Reducing surgical site infections following total hip and knee arthroplasty: an Israeli experience

A Health Economic Analysis Exploring the Cost Consequence of Using a Surgical Site Infection Prevention Bundle for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in Germany

Background

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, surgical site infections (SSIs) constitute over 50% of all hospital-acquired infections. Reducing SSIs can enhance healthcare efficiency.

Objective

This study explores the cost consequences of implementing an SSI prevention bundle (SPB) in total hip and knee arthroplasty (THKA).

Methods

A health-economic model followed a cohort of THKA patients from admission to 90 days postdischarge. The perioperative process was modeled using a decision tree, and postoperative recovery and potential SSI evaluated using a Markov model. The model reflects the hospital payers' perspective in Germany. The SPB includes antimicrobial incision drapes, patient warming, and negative pressure wound therapy in high-risk patients. SSI reduction associated with these interventions was sourced from published meta-analyses. An effectiveness factor of 70% was introduced to account for potential overlap of effectiveness when interventions are used in combination. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of model outcomes.

Results

The cost with the SPB was €4274.32 per patient, €98.27, or 2.25%, lower than that of the standard of care (€4372.59). Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings, indicating a median saving of 2.22% (95% credible interval: 1.00%-3.79%]). The SPB also reduced inpatient SSI incidence from 2.96% to 0.91%. The break-even point for the SPB was found when the standard of care had an SSI incidence of 0.938%. Major cost drivers were the cost of inpatient SSI care, general ward, and operating room, and the increased risk of an SSI associated with unintended, intraoperative hypothermia. Varying the effectiveness factor from 10% to 130% did not substantially impact model outcomes.

Conclusions

Introducing the SPB is expected to reduce care costs if the inpatient SSI rate (superficial and deep combined) in THKA procedures exceeds 1%. Research into how bundles of measures perform together is required to further inform the results of this computational analysis.

Risk factors associated with surgical site infections following joint replacement surgery: a narrative review

Background

Surgical site infection following joint replacement surgery is still a significant complication, resulting in repeated surgery, prolonged antibiotic therapy, extended postoperative hospital stay, periprosthetic joint infection, and increased morbidity and mortality. This review discusses the risk factors associated with surgical site infection.

Related risk factors

The patient-related factors include sex, age, body mass index (BMI), obesity, nutritional status, comorbidities, primary diagnosis, living habits, and scores of the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system, etc. Surgery-related factors involve preoperative skin preparation, prolonged duration of surgery, one-stage bilateral joint replacement surgery, blood loss, glove changes, anti-microbial prophylaxis, topical anti-bacterial preparations, wound management, postoperative hematoma, etc. Those risk factors are detailed in the review.

Conclusion

Preventive measures must be taken from multiple perspectives to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection after joint replacement surgery.

Use of prophylactic antibiotics on surgical site infections in arthroplasty patients (Scoping Review)

Background

Increased demand for arthroplasty also increases the number of complications of arthroplasty, especially surgical site infection (SSI). One of the effective strategies in preventing surgical site infection is the use of appropriate prophylactic antibiotics.

Objective

To identify and analyse information from clinical studies regarding factors affecting the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in arthroplasty patients.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted through the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases within a publication range from January 2004 to August 2020. Study data are extracted and analysed by a minimum of two reviewers.

Results

The search results found 2.419 articles, with 39 articles were included for further analysis. Cefazolin monotherapy was the most frequently studied antibiotic (15 articles) followed by vancomycin monotherapy (8 articles). Most widely used antibiotics in arthroplasty were cefazolin mono-therapy (997.599 procedures with SSI incidence range: 0,20–16,05%) followed by vancomycin mono-therapy (125.170 procedures with SSI incidence range: 0.27–3,88%) The correct antibiotic dose has a lower percentage of the SSI than the wrong antibiotic dose. Meanwhile, administration of antibiotics within single dose or <24 h had a lower SSI percentage than administration of antibiotics >24 h. Administration antibiotics before incision also have a lower SSI percentage than after incision. There were no studies that discussed re-dosing of antibiotics in this scoping review.

Conclusions

There is still a need for further research related to the duration and specific timing of first dose of prophylactic antibiotics, especially regarding single dose or multiple dose antibiotics to obtain maximum effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis

Single-Room Ward Design and Its Impact on Service and Patient Outcomes: An Evaluation Study

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that single-room inpatient wards are associated with better patient outcomes than open-room wards but little is known about the impact on adverse events, patient satisfaction, and clinician experiences.

METHODS/PURPOSE

We evaluated the impact of a new inpatient single-room orthopaedic ward on patient and clinician outcomes using a medical record audit; patient, nurse, and medical doctor surveys; and nonparticipant observations in a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia.

RESULTS

The audit (1,569 patients; 819 open-room ward and 750 new single-room ward) revealed unchanged adverse event rates and fewer emergency calls after the move to a single-room ward. Survey responses from nurses, medical doctors, and patients were positive. Observations suggested that clinicians devised solutions to potential threats to patient safety.

CONCLUSION

The single-room ward design did not negatively impact on patient and clinician outcomes and was preferred by them. Clinicians organized their work to ensure patient safety.

DOES TOPICAL USE OF GENTAMICIN REDUCE THE INFECTION RATE IN PRIMARY TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY?

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the topical use of gentamicin reduces periprosthetic joint infection rates in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated two cohorts of patients who underwent primary THA in a university hospital, with a minimum of 1-year postoperative follow-up and full clinical, laboratory, and radiological documentation. Patients who underwent operation in the first 59 months of the study period (263 hips) received only intravenous cefazolin as antibiotic prophylaxis (Cef group), and those who underwent operation in the following 43 months (170 hips) received intravenous cefazolin plus topical gentamicin directly applied on the wound as antibiotic prophylaxis (Cef + Gen group). For the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection, we used the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data were analyzed using the Fisher exact test, and p values of <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

Thirteen hips (4.9%) in the Cef group and eight hips (4.7%) in the Cef + Gen group presented periprosthetic joint infection. Statistical analysis revealed no difference between the infection rates (p = 1.0).

CONCLUSION

Topical gentamicin as used in this study did not reduce periprosthetic joint infection rates in primary THA. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective comparative study.

Atopic dermatitis is a novel demographic risk factor for surgical site infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

PURPOSE

Although various risk factors for surgical site infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) have been reported, the number of studies with large sample sizes on this topic is limited. The aim of the present study was to clarify the risk factors for early surgical site infection after ACLR in a large cohort using a national database in Japan.

METHODS

The data of patients who underwent ACLR from 2010 to 2015 were obtained from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, which covers approximately half of all hospital admissions in Japan. The outcome measures were the prevalences of surgical site infection and deep surgical site infection after ACLR during hospitalization. The association between the occurrence of surgical site infection and patients' demographic data, including sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, preoperative steroid use, and comorbidities such as diabetes, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and atopic dermatitis, were examined using a multivariable logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Among 30,536 patients who underwent ACLR, 288 patients with surgical site infection (0.94%) and 86 with deep surgical site infection (0.28%) were identified. The univariate analysis showed that higher prevalences of surgical site infection and deep surgical site infection were associated with male sex, a higher BMI, atopic dermatitis, and preoperative steroid use. Patients with diabetes or hepatic dysfunction had a significantly higher prevalence of surgical site infection. The multivariable analysis showed that surgical site infection was significantly associated with male sex vs. female sex; odds ratio (OR), 2.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.17-3.89, age of ≤ 19 vs. 20-29 years; OR, 1.56; 95% CI 1.13-2.15, BMI of ≥ 30.0 vs. 18.5-22.9 kg/m²; OR, 1.72; 95% CI 1.16-2.54, diabetes (OR, 2.70; 95% CI 1.28-5.71), atopic dermatitis (OR, 7.19; 95% CI 2.94-17.57), and preoperative steroid use (OR, 6.18; 95% CI 2.32-16.52).

CONCLUSION

Atopic dermatitis, preoperative steroid use, young age (≤ 19 years), obesity (BMI of ≥ 30.0 kg/m²), male sex, and diabetes were independent demographic risk factors for surgical site infection after ACLR. The present study will be useful when surgeons evaluate the risk of SSI after ACLR in terms of demographic aspects.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.