The Halo Effect is a solution incorporating the use of ETHICON’s Plus Antibacterial Sutures and DERMABOND Tissue adhesive.
The challenge of Surgical Site Infection is a very real one and requires all parties involved to assess the common denominators for infection risk and take each of these denominators out of the SSI equation.
Reports of SSI rates vary from approximately 1%, to as high as 29%. There is no doubt that all SSI’s are regretful and therefore any measure reducing the risk is welcome.
The most commonly used implant in surgery is a suture; the vast majority of surgical procedures use at least one suture. Any implanted material is a opportunity for infection and can be colonised by bacteria. When such an implant is colonised, an infection develops more easily and the bacteria can use the material to spread along. In some cases biofilm can form and, if this occurs, the infection is extremely difficult to treat, often requiring that the implant be removed.
Plus Antibacterial Sutures remove the suture, as a contributing factor to infection, from the SSI equation.
Assuming that ETHICON’s Plus Antibacterial Sutures are used, the incision site, the most vulnerable area for infection to develop due to the proximity to the skin where the majority of bacteria reside, is offered protection from the antibacterial effect of ETHICON’s Plus sutures. This is due to the formation of a zone of inhibition around the suture. The compound effect of suturing layers in the incision site produces a larger zone of inhibition ETHICON’s DERMABOND* Tissue Adhesive can act as an occlusive dressing and can provide a sealed wound which offers, not only a bacterial barrier for up to 72 hours, but also additional wound support.
A simple, clear solution, taking no extra time or training that can help to reduce the rate of SSI, saving the Health Service and the patient time, money and the less tangible costs of a preventable consequence of surgery.
