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Chapter 34 - Infection Control for the Anesthesia Provider

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2023

By
Tamara Lawson
Edited by
Alan David Kaye  and
Richard D. Urman
Alan David Kaye
Affiliation:
Louisiana State University School of Medicine
Richard D. Urman
Affiliation:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston
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Summary

A newly acquired infection that a patient contracts during the course of receiving medical care is known as a healthcare-associated infection (HAI). These nosocomial infections are a serious source of morbidity and mortality for patients receiving care in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, and surgery centers. HAIs include central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated infections, and surgical site infections (SSIs). It is estimated that each day, 1 in every 31 patients in the United States is diagnosed with at least one of these nosocomial infections. Annually, approximately 2 million patients are diagnosed with a HAI in the United States, with 90,000 cases resulting in death [1, 2]. SSIs account for upward of 20% of all HAIs. Not only do they lead to an increase in the length of hospital stay, but they also are associated with increased readmission rates and the development of multidrug-resistant infections and drive up the cost of care. This contributes to an increase in healthcare costs of between 3.5 and 10 billion dollars per year [3, 4]. Just as staggering is the knowledge that it is estimated that up to 60% of SSIs are preventable. There are numerous factors that contribute to these infections. In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the role that anesthesia providers can play in mitigating the risk of HAIs. Vigilant adherence to infection control measures is paramount to reducing perioperative HAIs [5].

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Handbook of Anesthesiology , pp. 503 - 520
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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