Surgical site infections – review of current knowledge, methods of prevention

Introduction: Surgical site infections have accompanied humanity since the dawn of time. Development of medicine has reduced their percentage, but still they are a huge problem to face with. Surgical site infections cause a significant increase in a cost of hospitalization. This is the main reason why the whole scientific world is looking for prevention of these complications. Materials and methods: The aim of the paper is to present current views on the etiology and methods of prevention of surgical site infection. Results: Patients own pathogens are most often responsible for surgical site infections. In hospitalizations over 5–7 days exogenous and hospital flora have the advantage. The most common isolated pathogen is Staphylococcus aureus. The percentage of MRSA – resistant methicillin strains is increasing. Pre-operative antibiotic therapy reduces the frequency of surgical site infection in many surgical procedures. Time of administration, type and dose of antibiotic play an important role in preventing post-operative infections. Pre-operative skin antiseptic is also important. The two most commonly used ingredients are chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone iodine. Recent reports point the chlorhexidine alcohol solution as an agent with a higher degree of efficacy. Conclusions: In 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the new guidelines for prevention of surgical site infections. This practical tips and tricks should be implemented to every surgical procedure.