Ifwesuspectyouhaveaninfection,wewillwipethewoundwithaswabandsendthistothelaboratoryfortesting.Thisistofindoutwhichbacteriaiscausingtheinfectionsothattheappropriatemedicinescanbegiventotreatit.

On leaving hospitalIfnecessary,wewillgiveyouinformationonhowtocontinuetolookafteryourwounduntilitheals.

IfyouhaveanycauseforconcernyoushouldcontactyourGP.

For further informationPleasecontacttheInfection Control Teamon:08451555000extension79716.

Oryoucangotothefollowingwebsites:

The Department of HealthWebsite: www.dh.gov.uk/hcai

Public Helath EnglandWebsite: www.hpa.org.uk

NHS DirectWebsite: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Ifyouwouldlikethisinformationinanotherformat,forexample,largeprint,oraudio,ortheservicesofatranslatorpleasecontactusonthenumberabove

Preventingsurgicalwoundinfections

Publicationdate: April2008Lastreviewdate: December2013Nextreviewdate: December2015Leafletcode: UCLH/MB/INF/IC/SURGINF/2Re-ordercode: UCLH0293

UniversityCollegeLondonHospitalsNHSFoundationTrust,UniqueCode:28973

What we are doing at UCLH Ouroperatingtheatresandequipmentarecleanedtothehigheststandards.

Cleaningprocedures,forstaffandequipment,arefollowedforeveryoperation.

Beforeanoperationstarts,theskinareaiscleanedandsterilesheetsareusedtoprotecttheoperatingarea.

Theairandenvironmentintheoperatingareaareregularlycheckedforanyriskofinfectiontopatients.

Wherenecessary,patientsaregivenantibioticsbefore,duringoraftersurgerytopreventinfectiondeveloping.

Everypatientisnursedwithcaretotryandavoidinfectiongettingintothewoundoranyotherarea,suchasacatheterordrain(whereatubeisusedtodrainawoundofexcessfluid).

Allstaffmustwashtheirhandsorusethealcoholgelbeforetheytouchadressingorwound.Allwounddressingswillbechangedaccordingtopropercleantechniques.

Weregularlymonitorsurgicalwoundstomakesurethattherearenooutbreaksofinfectioninthehospital.AmemberoftheUCLHwoundsurveillanceteammaycomeandaskyousomequestionsduringorafteryourhospitalstayorsendyouaquestionnaireinthepost.

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Brief facts Surgicalwoundsarevulnerabletoinfectionfromtheskinortheenvironmentduringorsoonaftersurgery.

Toreducetheriskofinfectionpatientsshouldwashtheirhairandskininthebathorshowerbeforeanoperation.Theyshouldalsotellstaffbeforesurgeryiftheyhaveorsuspecttheyhaveanykindofinfection.

AllPatientswillbetested(screened)forMRSApriortotheirsurgery.

Antibioticmedicinesareusuallygiventopreventinfectionsstartingatthetimeofsurgery

Allwoundsarecheckedregularlywhileinhospitalforsignsofinfection.

Staffandpatientsneedtobeawareoftheimportanceofwashinghandsandkeepingthewoundclean.

AtUCLHwetakespecialprecautionsinoperatingtheatresandinpatientcaretoreducethechanceofwouninfections.

Surgical wounds Mostoperationsinvolvemakingcuts(wounds)intheskin.Mostwoundshealwithoutcausingproblems.Butawoundcanallowbacteriafromtheskinorenvironmenttogetintothebodyandthiscancauseaninfection.

Awoundinfectioncanappearatanytimebuttheymostcommonlyoccurbetweentwodaysandtwoweeksaftertheoperation,beforethewoundhashealed.

Signs of a wound infection include: Redness,swellingandheataroundthewound;

Thewoundbecomingmorepainfultotouch;

Fluidoryellowpuscomingfromthewound,whichmaybesmelly;

Araisedtemperature.

Iftheinfectionisleftuntreated,itcanspreaddeeperintothebodyorintothebloodstreamandadditionalsymptomsmaydevelopincludingafeverandfeelingveryunwell.

Ifabloodinfectionisnottreateditcanbeveryserious.Youmustseekmedicaladviceifyoususpectyouhaveawoundinfection.

What you can do to prevent infectionBefore your operation AllpatientsundergoingsurgerywillbescreenedforMRSAbeforetheiroperation.

IfyouarefoundtohaveMRSAyouwillbeaskedtohaveacourseoftreatmentbeforeyouroperation.

Ifyouhaveaninfectionbeforeyouroperation,evenifitsonlyacoldorsorethroat,tellthehospitalimmediately.Youroperationmayhavetobedelayedtoreducetheriskofinfection.

Youshouldwashyourhairandtakeabathorshowerasusualathomebeforecominginfordaysurgeryorifalreadyinhospital,themorningofyouroperation.

Youshouldeatahealthybalanceddietbeforeandaftersurgeryasthisisimportantforwoundhealing.

After the operation Ifyouaregivenantibiotics,makesurethatyoutakethewholecourseasinstructed.

Ifanystaffcometolookatorchangeyourwounddressing,itiscrucialthattheywashtheirhandsbeforeandaftertouchingit.Pleaseaskthemifyouhavenotseenthemwashtheirhands.

Donottouchyourwoundordressingunlessyouhavewashedyourhandsfirst.

Tellthewardstaffifyounoticeanywhereonthewardorinthetoiletsthathasnotbeencleanedproperly.

Tellyournurseordoctorifyouthinkyourwoundisbecomingmoresoreorhot,ifyounoticeitoozingorifyoustarttofeelmoreunwell.

Visitors Pleasecheckwiththenursingstaffbeforeyouvisittoconfirmhowmanypeopleareallowedtovisitatthesametimeandwhetherchildrenarepermitted.Restandsleepareimportanttowoundhealing.

Pleasedonotcomeintovisitifyouhaveaninfection,includingacoldorotherminorinfection.Ifyouarenotsureyoushouldcheckwiththenursingstafffirst.

Everyvisitorshouldwashtheirhandsorusethebedsidealcoholgelbeforeandaftervisiting.