Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T22:15:23.513Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Reduction in Surgical Site Infections in Neurosurgical Patients Associated With a Bedside Hand Hygiene Program in Vietnam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Le Thi Arm Thu*
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Michael J. Dibley
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Vo Van Nho
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Lennox Archibald
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville
William R. Jarvis
Affiliation:
Jason and Jarvis Associates, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Annette H. Sohn
Affiliation:
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco
*
Infection Control Department, Cho Ray Hospital, 201 B Nguyen Chi Thanh, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ([email protected])

Abstract

Objective.

We conducted an intervention study to assess the impact of the use of an alcohol-chlorhexidine-based hand sanitizer on surgical site infection (SSI) rates among neurosurgical patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Design.

A quasi-experimental study with an untreated control group and assessment of neurosurgical patients admitted to 2 neurosurgical wards at Cho Ray Hospital between July 11 and August 15, 2000 (before the intervention), and July 14 and August 18, 2001 (after the intervention). A hand sanitizer with 70% isopropyl alcohol and 0.5% Chlorhexidine gluconate was introduced, and healthcare workers were trained in its use on ward A in September 2000. No intervention was made in ward B. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions of SSI were used. Patient SSI data were collected on standardized forms and were analyzed using Stata software (Stata).

Results.

A total of 786 patients were enrolled: 377 in the period before intervention (156 in ward A and 221 in ward B) and 409 in the period after intervention (159 in ward A and 250 in ward B). On ward A after the intervention, the SSI rate was reduced by 54% (from 8.3% to 3.8%; P = .09), and more than half of superficial SSIs were eliminated (7 of 13 vs 0 of 6 in ward B; P = .007). On ward B, the SSI rate increased by 22% (from 7.2% to 9.2%; P = .8). In patients without SSI, the median postoperative length of stay and the duration of antimicrobial use were reduced on ward A (both from 8 to 6 days; P <.001) but not on ward B.

Conclusions.

Our study demonstrates that introduction of a hand sanitizer can both reduce SSI rates in neurosurgical patients, with particular impact on superficial SSIs, and reduce the overall postoperative length of stay and the duration of antimicrobial use. Hand hygiene programs in developing countries are likely to reduce SSI rates and improve patient outcomes.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Boyce, JM, Pittet, D. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings. Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR Recomm Rep 2002;51(RR-16):144.Google ScholarPubMed
2. Pittet, D, Mourouga, P, Perneger, T, Members of the Infection Control Program. Compliance with handwashing in a teaching hospital. Ann Intern Med 1999;130:126130.Google Scholar
3. Vu dieu tri. Tinh hinh chong nhiem khuan tai cae benh vien Viet nam. Tap chi y hoc lam sang 1999;20:97102.Google Scholar
4. Pham Duc Muc. Report of National Prevalence of Nosocomial Infection. Vietnam: Therapy Department, Ministry of Health; 1998.Google Scholar
5. Sohn, AH, Parvez, FM, Vu, T, et al. Prevalence of surgical site infections in a large tertiary-care hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:382387.Google Scholar
6. Thu, LTA, Dibley, MJ, Eward, B, Tien, PT, Lam, LD. Incidence of surgical site infections and accompanying risk factors in Vietnamese orthopaedic patients. J Hosp Infect 2005;60:360367.Google Scholar
7. Thu, LTA, Sohn, AH, Tien, PT, et al. Microbiology of surgical site infections and antimicrobial use in Vietnamese orthopedic and neurosurgery patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006;27:855862.Google Scholar
8. Mangram, AJ, Horan, TC, Pearson, MI, Silver, LC, Jarvis, WR. Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Guideline for prevention of surgical site infection, 1999. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1999;20:247278.Google Scholar
9. Garner, JS, Jarvis, WR, Emori, TG, Horan, TC, Hughes, JM. CDC definitions for nosocomial infections. Am J Infect Control 1988;16:128140.Google Scholar
10. Korinek, AM. Risk factors for neurosurgical site infections after craniotomy: a prospective multicenter study of 2944 patients. Neurosurgery 1997;41:10731081.Google Scholar
11. Infection in Neurosurgery Working Party of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Antimicrobial prophylaxis in neurosurgery and after head injury. Lancet 1994;15471551.Google Scholar
12. Imrey, PB. Poisson regression, logistic regression, and log linear models for random count. In: Tinsley, HEA, Brown, SD, eds. Handbook of Applied Multivariable Statistics and Mathemathical Modeling. Academic Press: San Diego; 2000:391437.Google Scholar
13. Kleinbaum, DG, Kupper, LL, Morgenstern, H. Epidemiologie Research. Belmont, CA: Lifetime Learning Publications; 1992.Google Scholar
14. Hilburn, J, Hammond, BS, Fendler, EJ, Groziak, PA. Use of alcohol hand sanitizer as an infection control strategy in acute care facility. Am J Infect Control 2003;31:109116.Google Scholar
15. de Boer, AS, Mintjes de Groot, AJ, Severijnen, AJ, van den Berg, JM, van Pelt, W. Risk asessment for surgical site infections in orthopedic patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1999;20:402407.Google Scholar
16. Wong, ES. Surgical site infections. In: Mayhall, CG, ed. Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. Lippincott William & Wilkins: Philadelphia; 2004:287.Google Scholar