Efficacy of Ring Drape and Unused Sterile Instruments for Incisional SSI After Hepatectomy

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of wound protection with a plastic ring wound protector (ring drape) and using new sterile instruments when closing the abdominal wall (wound closure set), both of which were used to prevent incisional surgical site infection (SSI) after hepatectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The incidence of incisional SSIs and the clinical courses of 572 patients who underwent hepatectomy between January 2010 and December 2015 were studied retrospectively. The patients were divided into three period groups according to the period when each infection countermeasure was started.

RESULTS

Incisional SSI incidence decreased significantly with additional countermeasures: 1^st period 10.1%; 2^nd period 2.08% (p=0.0114); 3^rd period, 1.63% (1st vs. 3^rd period, p=0.0016). A multivariate analysis showed that postoperative bile leakage [odds ratio (OR)=4.12, p=0.012] and not using a ring drape (OR=0.176, p=0.003) were independent factors for incisional SSI.

CONCLUSION

Incisional SSI incidence was significantly reduced by using ring drape after hepatectomy.