Addressing Surgical Site Infections in ANZ

By Peter Hawkes , Vice President Ethicon & Mentor, Johnson & Johnson MedTech ANZ

As part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech | Australia (JJMT) commitment to help reduce Surgical Site Infections (SSIs), from 1 August 2024, non-antibacterial sutures will be withdrawn from the Australian and New Zealand markets where they can be replaced with an antibacterial alternative.

Healthcare-associated infections are the most common hospital-acquired complication in Australian hospitals.1 Bacterial colonisation of the suture is a known SSI risk factor.2 Sutures – like all implanted materials – may increase the probability of SSI.3 This is important because 67% of SSIs are confined to the incision.3

Absorbable sutures with antibacterial protection are recommended for use as part of a bundle of care for preventing SSIs in wound closure after a surgical procedure. This is based on available evidence by health regulators around the world, including NICE Medical Technologies guidance.4 Sutures with an antibacterial coating can help reduce the risk of infection for at least seven days.4

Based on research and our own conversations with surgeons across Australia and New Zealand, we know that preventing SSIs is one of the most important issues facing surgeons today. JJMT is committed to ensuring that patients and surgeons have access to technology designed to deliver the best possible outcome. As a result of JJMT’s decision, we expect to see an impact on the incidence of SSIs.

With the right solutions and care, SSIs are preventable. Implementing national and international guidelines and SSI management protocols can help save lives and significantly improve surgical outcomes.

The true impact of SSIs

SSIs adversely impact patients and place an additional economic burden on the Australian national healthcare system.5 Each resulting hospitalisation creates up to $42,102 in extra costs.1

Post-surgery infections can cause significant harm to patients and result in increased hospital stays, readmissions, and re-operations:

• More than half (55%) of SSIs are avoidable when infection control measures are complied with and prevention guidelines are adopted.6, 7
• Patients with SSIs face poorer outcomes compared to infection-free patients. They are five times more likely to be readmitted8; and could spend up to ten days in hospital.9

Please click on this link to learn more about preventing SSIs and JJMT’s decision to withdraw non antibacterial suture codes from the market where we have an antibacterial suture that can replace it.

REFERENCES

1. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2018. Selected best practices and suggestions for improvement for clinicians and health system managers. Hospital-Acquired Complication. Available online: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/Healthcare-associated-infection-detailed-fact-sheet.pdf Accessed 30/11/22.
2. Lovino F, Calò F, Orabona C, Pizza A, et al. The Role of Bacterial Colonization of the Suture Thread in Early Identification and Targeted Antibiotic Treatment of Surgical Site Infections: A Prospective Cohort Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020; 17(12): 4416.
3. Mangram AJ, Horan TC, Pearson ML, et al. Guideline for prevention of surgical site infection, 1999. Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 1999;20(4):247-278.
4. NICE 2021. Medical Technology Guidance: Plus sutures for preventing surgical site infection. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg59? [Accessed March 2023].
5. Russo, P.L., Stewardson, A.J., Cheng, A.C. et al. The prevalence of healthcare associated infections among adult inpatients at nineteen large Australian acute-care public hospitals: a point prevalence survey. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2019; 8 (114)
6. Tsai DM and Caterson EJ. Current preventive measures for health-care associated surgical site infections: a review. Patient Safety in Surgery 2014;8:42.
7. Umscheid CA, Mitchell MD, Doshi JA, Agarwal R, Williams K, Brennan PJ. Estimating the proportion of healthcare-associated infections that are reasonably preventable and the related mortality and costs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011; 32(2):101–114.
8. World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for Safe Surgery, 2009
9. de Lissovoy G, Fraeman K, Hutchins V, Murphy D, Song D, Vaughn BB. Surgical site infection: incidence and impact on hospital utilization and treatment costs. Am J Infect Control 2009;37(5):387–397

AUSTRALIA: Johnson & Johnson Medical Pty Ltd. 1-5 Khartoum Rd, North Ryde NSW 2113.

NEW ZEALAND: Johnson & Johnson (New Zealand) Ltd. 507 Mount Wellington Highway, Mount Wellington, Auckland, 1060, New Zealand.? ANZ_ETH_WOUN_385471 | June 2024.