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New WHO recommendation on operations - washing yes, shaving taboo
Surgical interventions bring an increased risk of infection because germs can enter the organism via the wound. Not infrequently, patients undergo infection with clinical germs after surgery, in particular, the multidrug-resistant strains represent a significant risk. The World Health Organization (WHO) has therefore adopted a new "Global Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Infections". This is against the previous practice of shaving the surgical site prior to surgery.
WHO has summarized a total of 29 recommendations in the guideline, which are intended to minimize infections in surgical interventions. According to the World Health Organization, the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens should also be curbed. According to the experts, for example, bathing or showering before an operation is important. The shaving of the intervention site, which has been customary until now, should however be avoided as recommended by the WHO, as this increases the risk of infection. The new WHO guideline was also published in the journal "The Lancet Infectious Diseases".
In preparation for surgery, the surgical site should not be shaved according to the WHO recommendation. (Image: edwardolive / fotolia.com) 29 WHO recommendations on prevention of infection
To prepare for surgery, patients should always be bathed or showered, but not shaved, according to the latest WHO communication. It also makes sense to only use antibiotics "to prevent infections before and during the operation, not afterwards." A total of 29 specific recommendations are made by WHO experts, some of whom are in stark contrast to the usual practice. Thirteen recommendations relate to the preparation of operations, 16 are aimed at the prevention of infections during and after the operation.
Millions of infections through surgery
According to the WHO, infection associated with surgical procedures "threatens the lives of millions of patients every year and contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance." In low- and middle-income countries, around eleven percent of surgically operated patients would suffer from an infection, In Africa, as many as 20 percent of women who received a caesarean section were affected. "But surgical infections are not just a problem for poor countries," the WHO emphasizes. For example, patients in the United States have to spend over 400,000 additional days a year in hospital because they have been infected with surgery.
Infection prevention a highly complex task
"Sooner or later, many of us will need surgery, but none of us wants to catch an infection on the operating table," says Dr. Ed Kelley, Director of the WHO Department for Service Delivery and Safety. "Nobody should get sick while seeking or receiving medical help," adds Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant Director-General of WHO for Health Systems and Innovation. "Avoiding surgical infections has never been more important, but it's complex and requires a range of preventive measures," the expert continued. The new guidelines are an invaluable tool for protecting patients. "Applying these new guidelines will allow surgical teams to reduce damage, improve quality of life, and do their best to stop the spread of antibiotic resistance," explains Drs. Kelley.
Significant reduction of infections possible
According to the WHO, many studies show that implementing a range of preventative measures can significantly reduce the damage caused by surgical infections. A pilot study in four African countries has shown that implementing the recommendations will help reduce surgical infections by 39%, WHO reports. (Fp)