Urinary tract infections are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network. Of urinary tract infections acquired in the hospital, approximately 75% are associated with a urinary catheter. With the increased scrutiny of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)…

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Three new studies on reducing urinary tract infections (UTIs) were reported at the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) conference in July. Researchers identified several process changes that, once implemented, brought down infection rates. Each study and its findings are described below.   The S.T.O.P.…

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Editor's Note Diabetes is an independent risk factor for surgical site infections (SSIs) for multiple surgical procedures, this study finds. A meta-analysis of 94 studies found that diabetic patients having surgery were 50% more likely to develop SSIs compared to patients without diabetes. Diabetes has been a recognized risk factor…

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Editor's Note Downing Labs, LLC (Farmers Branch, Texas) is recalling all lots of compounded and packaged sterile products because of concerns of sterility assurance. The products were distributed between April 20 and September 15, 2015.    Posted 10/21/2015] AUDIENCE: Consumer, Pharmacy ISSUE: Downing Labs, LLC is voluntarily recalling all lots…

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Editor's Note When the anesthesiologist sheaths the laryngoscope immediately after endotracheal intubation, contamination of the IV hub, patient, and intraoperative environment is significantly reduced, this study finds. In a simulated study using ultraviolet light to detect contamination of seven sites on a patient, contamination was found on an average of…

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Editor's Note Some 120,000 more patients would get surgical site infections (SSIs) and 6,300 more would die from those infections if antibiotics given before surgery become 30% less effective, this study finds. Researchers estimated that between 38.7% and 50.9% of pathogens causing SSIs in the US are resistant to standard…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on October 15 issued a safety alert that heater-cooler devices have been associated with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria infections, primarily in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgical procedures. Devices include: oxygenator heat exchangers cardioplegia heat exchangers warming/cooling blankets. Between January 2010 and August 2015, the FDA received…

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Editor's Note Medicaid patients had a twofold higher risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) after cesarean delivery than privately insured patients, this study finds. The higher risk remained even after adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. Medicaid might represent factors the study did not account for, such as socioeconomic status…

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Editor's Note In this study, more case-relevant communication among surgical team members during a procedure was associated with fewer organ/space surgical site infections (SSIs). More case-irrelevant communication during the closing phase of the procedure was linked to an increased incidence of incisional SSIs. Distractions were not associated with SSIs. Case-irrelevant…

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Editor's Note Two different measurement systems are used to track performance in lowering the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality metric has shown a 28.2% decrease in CAUTIs since 2010, whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s metric has shown a…

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