Randomised trial comparing the efficacy and feasibility of using a sterile closing pack to reduce postpartum sepsis
Pregnant patients meeting the inclusion criteria undergoing elective or emergency caesarean section will be eligible for recruitment. Patients will be randomised into two arms. In the control arm sheath and skin closure will be performed with the instruments used to perform the caesarean section, as per the current standard of care. In the intervention arm, after suturing the uterine incision and obtaining hemostasis and before commencing closure of the sheath and skin, the surgical team (obstetrician, assistant and scrub sister) will don clean sterile gloves, open clean sterile linen to drape on top of the existing linen and open a pack of clean sterile instruments to close the sheath and skin.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
1,000
A closing pack, new sterile gloves and new sterile drapes will be used when commencing closure of the sheath and skin
Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Efficacy to reduce surgical site infections within seven days
Incidence of surgical site infections in both arms
Time frame: Seven days post-operatively
Efficacy to reduce postpartum endometritis within seven days
Incidence of postpartum endometritis in both arms
Time frame: Seven days post-operatively
Feasibility of using a closure pack
Assess the availability as well as use of the sterile closing pack
Time frame: At the time of caesarean section
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