Surgery & Procedures

You know it: a surgical procedure is more than surgical moves.

SSI prevention has to go hand in hand with it to ensure high quality of care.
Find support for this important interaction here.

Uniquely prepared. Vividly presented.

Close-up of a surgical procedur Close-up of a surgical procedur

Core Measures

A surgical intervention, whether inpatient or outpatient, always involves appropriate infection prevention. And this in an increasingly stressful and multidimensional clinical setting. We have made it our challenge to improve complex daily surgical routine by providing necessary measures for SSI prevention in a unique way.

Guideline-compliant. Compact. Illustrative. Expanded with 200 years of HARTMANNs expertise.

Illustration of hand antisepsis step before operating a patient.
Surgical Hand Antisepsis

Surgical hand preparation should not only eliminate the transient flora and reduce the resident flora but also inhibit the growth of bacteria under the gloved hand.1

Due to its high importance in infection prevention, there are a number of recommendations on this...

Illustration of surgical gloves and attire
Surgical gloves and attire
  • When to use double gloves?
  • When to change gloves during an operation?
  • What type of gloves should be used?

Among answers to these questions you will find more here…

Illustration of surgical instruments
Surgical site Preparation

After preoperative antisepsis and drying of the surgical field, its surroundings are sterilely covered under aseptic conditions.2

Is this how you it is handled?

Illustration of surgical irrigation
Surgical irrigation

The benefits of intraoperative antimicrobial irrigation and information on usable solutions…

…are highlighted here.

Illustration of a shoulder with surgery wound covered for protection.
Surgical Wound

Aspects you will find about here:

  • wound closure
  • wound dressings
  • dressing changes

Find out more...

Illustration of two hands in blue gloves using surgical tools.
Equipment

To protect the instruments from microbial contamination in the operating room, they should only be uncovered immediately before the start of surgery (incision).2

Find this and other aspects here…

Illustration of the wound drain method
Wound drain

Removing of wound drain is suggested when clinically indicated. There is no evidence for an optimal timing for wound drain removal.1

Get informed here…

Complementary Measures

Prevention of SSI includes not only hygiene measures but also therapeutic steps, structural conditions, and corresponding measures.

HARTMANN provides comprehensive information on the recommendations of international institutions - even if they go beyond hygienic measures - to create a source for you to find everything in one place.

Illustration of a list with recommendations while applying anesthesia
Further Recommendations
Find here a discussion about e.g. perioperative oxygenation and blood glucose control

Bundle Measures

For the prevention of SSI, it has proven effective to combine particularly important measures into a bundle of measures, to train on the bundle, and to monitor compliance with the bundle in the form of self-monitoring.1

Find new ideas here to combine measures and more…

Illustration of different surgery antisepsis steps for a patient.
Preoperative Patient Skin Antisepsis

Depending on the upcoming procedure and the patient's colonisation, a patient preparation checklist includes…

…a manageable list of fixed and variable items.

Illustration of the surgical team preparation
Surgical Team Preparation

Do you have a standardized practice to prepare for surgical procedures?

Find guidance here.

Illustration for the basic surgery team preparation.
OR Basics

Even apparent and self-evident facts in the prevention of SSI should be regularly refreshed and communicated.

Use a compact bundle for this.

Measures at a Glance

Surgical site infection prevention is a task in which different sections are involved.
Find here all relevant measures and information per perspective to create your individual infection prevention bundle!
For an easier daily routine with infection prevention.

Close-up of a surgical procedur

Surgery & Procedure

  • Surgical Hand Antisepsis
  • Surgical gloves and surgical attire
  • Surgical Site Preparation
  • Surgical Irrigation
  • Surgical Wound
  • Equipment
  • Wound Drain
  • Further recommendations

Doctors wearing blue surgery attire while operating a patient.

OR Team

  • Behavior of OR team
  • Work attire and Personal Protective Equipment
  • Surgical Hand Antisepsis
  • Surgical gloves and attire
  • Surgical Site Preparation
  • Surgical irrigation
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Surgical wound
  • Further recommendations
Female patient resting on a bed, recovering after a successful surgery or sickness

Patient

  • Preoperative bathing
  • Patient clothing
  • Hair removal
  • Mechanical bowel preparation and use of oral antibiotics
  • Decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus carriage
  • Further recommendations
Close up of a hand wearing a glove and cleaning a frame.

Cleaning & Disinfection

  • Surface Cleaning
  • Surface Disinfection
  • Equipment
A female doctor wearing surgical attire is applying anesthesia to a patient.

Anesthetist & Team

  • Work attire and Personal Protective Equipment
  • Patient Perioperative Warming
  • Perioperative surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP)
  • Behavior of OR team
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Further recommendations
Female medical professional, wearing a surgical cap and mask, provides oxygen to a patient in a hospital.

General

  • Hand Hygiene
  • Perioperative surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP)
  • Work attire and Personal Protective Equipment
  • Surgical Hand Antisepsis
  • Behavior of OR team
  • Surveillance
  • Structural Conditions

References:

1. WHO. Global guidelines for the prevention of surgical site infection. World Health Organization 2016.

2. KRINKO (2018) Prävention postoperativer Wundinfektionen. Empfehlungen der Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention (KRINKO) beim Robert Koch-Institut. Bundesgesundheitsbl 61: 448–473.