How we achieved zero adverse outcomes and wound infections in cardiothoracic surgery

Cardiac surgery is a high-risk surgery with many barriers that can increase patients' length of stay in hospital. Surgical site infections are very common, resulting in additional antibiotics and pain relief, and frequent hospital visits to monitor the wound site. This can set back patients' recovery time and cause complications.

Mr Aziz Momin , Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Cromwell Hospital, has achieved zero wound infections and adverse outcomes, drastically reducing his patients' length of stay in hospital and recovery time.? Many of his surgical patients are ready to go home three days after surgery.

Mr Aziz Momin and the Cardiac and Respiratory team have put into place an enhanced recovery style programme to reduce the risk of infection, shorten hospital length of stay, and promote quicker recovery to improve the patient experience. The team use tools such as the Posthorax vest for men, especially those with an increased risk of infection, and a cardiothoracic bra for women which helps to limit the risk of infection.

Patients are informed about their post-op expectations throughout their journey, with their recovery programme personalised to their experience.

The team have found that by reducing patients' length of stay in hospital this also reduces their risk of contracting medically acquired infections and allows the patient to recover in a more comfortable environment.

“By working together as a team, we can provide patients with the highest standards of safety. We are heavily involved in the patient’s care from pre-op to post-discharge, allowing us to catch any problems early on and reduce the patient's length of stay in the hospital,” says Mr Aziz Momin.