Incision Management

About Incision Management

Complications subsequent to surgical incisions can have serious consequences. These complications have resulted in:

• Half a million surgical site infections annually^1,2
• Longer hospital stays and delayed healing^1,3,4
• Potentially significant patient discomfort and impact on quality of life^3,4

A Range of Complications

Hematomas and seromas may promote infection, disrupt skin closure, and necessitate reoperation.⁵

Surgical site infection (SSI) rates may reach 20% in certain high-risk surgical patients.⁶

SSIs represent 17% of all hospital-acquired infections.⁷

Dehiscence risk factors include male gender, anemia, obesity, diabetes, malignancy, malnutrition and advanced (over 65) age.^8,9

^{1 Nichols RL. Preventing surgical site infections: A surgeon’s perspective. Emerg Infect Dis. 2001;7:220-224.}

^{2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics Vital and Health Statistics, Detailed diagnoses and procedures national hospital discharge survey 1994. Vol 127. Hyattsville(MD): Department of Health and Human Services; 1997.}

^{3 Perencevich EN, Sands KE, Cosgrove SE, Guadagnoli E, Meara E, Platt R. Health and economic impact of surgical site infections after hospital discharge. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:196-203.}

^{4 De Lissovoy G, Fraeman K, Hutchins V, Murphy D, Song D, Vaughn BB. Surgical site infection: incidence and impact on hospital utilization and treatment cost. Am J Infect Control. 2009;37(5):387-97. Epub 2009 Apr 23.}

^{5 Doherty GM. Postoperative complications. In: Doherty GM, Way LW, editors. Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment. 12th ed. New York, Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill; 2006 p. 21.}

^{6 CDC NNIS System. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system report, data summary from January 1992 through June 2004, issued October 2004. Am J Infect Control. 2004;32:470-85.}

^{7 National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) report, data summary from October 1986-April 1996, issued May 1996. A report from the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System. Am J Infect Control. 1996;24:380-8.}

^{8 Spiliotis J, Tsiveriotis K , Datsis AD, et al. Wound dehiscence is still a problem in the 21th century: a retrospective study. WJES. 2009;4:12 doi:10.1186/1749-7922-4-12.}

^{9 Sørensen LT, Hemmingsen U, Kallehave F, et al. Risk factors for tissue and wound complications in gastrointestinal surgery. Ann Surg. 2005;241:654-658.}

Related Products

Prevena™ Incision Management System

The first powered negative pressure product designed specifically for management of incisions at risk of post-operative complications.