Changing the Surgical Team for Wound Closure and Surgical Site Infection

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern1,160 enrolled

Overview

Surgical site infection is a frequent complication after abdominal surgery. The wound closure is done at the end of the procedure when the attention of the entire team may be affected because of tiredness and reduced attention of the surgical team. With this study, the investigators aim to test if an exchange of the surgical team by a specialised wound closure team may reduce the impact of surgical site infection.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

1,160

Conditions

Incidence of Surgical Site Infection Morality Fascial Hernia

Interventions

Changing the surgical team for wound closurePROCEDURE

The intervention consists of the exchange of the primary surgical team with a second surgical team that consists of one surgeon and one student. The first surgical team then may leave the operation theatre but is continuously accessible for questions.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * General Consent as documented by signature * Patients undergoing elective or emergency abdominal surgery from Monday to Friday with wound closure from 8:00 until 17:30 and duration of operation. * Age over 18 years Exclusion Criteria: * Patients \< 18 years of age * Patients with preexisting SSI

Locations (1)

Dep. of Visceral and transplant surgery, Berne University Hospital

Bern, Switzerland

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Number of patients with SSIs

SSI that occur after surgery will be assessed according to the criteria developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections will be categorized as incisional (superficial or deep) infections or organ-space infections. Superficial SSI (type 1) involve only skin and subcutaneous tissue and exclude stitch abscesses. Deep SSI (type 2) involve deeper soft tissues, like fascia and muscle, at the site of incision. Organ-space SSI (type 3) involve any organ or body cavity

Time frame: 30 days postoperative

Secondary Outcomes

Postoperative Mortality at 30 days

Observer receives the information during the follow-up phone call that the patient died. If patients do not respond to follow-up phone calls, five documented attempts to contact the patients followed by rapid contacts with the subject's general practitioner or other medical staff involved in the medical treatment of the patients, will be performed before loss to follow-up is documented. In addition, the Zivilstandsamt will be contacted once 3 months after surgery.

Time frame: 30 days postoperative

Numbers of patients with fascial dehiscence at 30 days postoperative

Time frame: 30 days postoperative

Numbers of patients with complications

Assessment according to Clavien-Dindo grading

Time frame: 30 days postoperative

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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