SMITH & NEPHEWhas welcomed the publication of new global guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) outlining strategies to reduce rates of surgical site infection (SSI).
Among the 27 separate topics, the guidelines recommend the use of (prophylactic) negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in adult patients on primarily closed surgical incisions in high-risk wounds. The WHO guidelines also point towards the adoption of more portable devices to ensure the use of NPWT doesn’t prolong hospital stay.
PICO is a single-use NPWT system and its role in reducing surgical site complications is documented in a recent meta-analysis (Hyldig et al, Br J Surg. 2016). Since the WHO team reviewed the evidence for NPWT (October 2015) a new RCT has been published demonstrating the ability of PICO to reduce surgical site complications in orthopaedic surgery (Karlakki et al, Bone Joint Res.2016).
Dr Niz Islam, vice president, scientific and medical affairs, at Smith & Nephew, said: “These new WHO guidelines provide important insights into optimising clinical management strategies for preventing SSIs, which are an increasing concern for healthcare providers and their patients around the world. This is a significant addition to the growing body of literature supporting NPWT as an effective prophylactic treatment option for SSIs. It follows the recent release of a World Union of Wound Healing Societies Consensus document on the role of negative pressure in the management of Closed Surgical Incisions.”
