AORN Journal
Volume 86, Issue 5 , Pages 801-814 , November 2007

Surgical Site Infection: The Host Factor

  • Donald E. Fry, MD

      Affiliations

    • Donald E. Fry, MD, is the executive vice president of Michael Pine and Associates consulting firm, Chicago, IL. Dr Fry has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest in publishing this article.
    • ,
  • Rosemary V. Fry, RN, BSN, CNOR

      Affiliations

    • Rosemary V. Fry, RN, BSN, CNOR, is a retired OR nurse from Chicago, IL. Ms Fry has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest in publishing this article.

  • Image Result

    Surgical site infections occur because of multiple factors: bacterial inoculum, which may come from a variety of sources; virulence of the bacteria that may contaminate the wound, which varies from pa

    Surgical site infections occur because of multiple factors: bacterial inoculum, which may come from a variety of sources; virulence of the bacteria that may contaminate the wound, which varies from patient to patient; and the conditions of the microenvironment of the wound, which is affected by hemostasis, electrosurgery, silk sutures, and dead space in the wound. All of these factors may result in infection in a patient, but the absence of these variables may lead to an uneventful recovery.

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    The host defense system is a complex combination of innate and adaptive responses that prevent infection from occurring with every surgical procedure that the host experiences. Many acute physiologic

    The host defense system is a complex combination of innate and adaptive responses that prevent infection from occurring with every surgical procedure that the host experiences. Many acute physiologic changes can be managed during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods so that infection can be prevented. Chronic medical conditions also affect the host's defenses and increase the likelihood that the patient will incur a surgical infection.

  indicates that continuing education contact hours are available for this activity. Earn the contact hours by reading this article and taking the examination on pages 811–812 and then completing the answer sheet and learner evaluation on pages 813–814.The behavioral objectives and examination for this program were prepared by Rebecca Holm, RN, MSN, CNOR, clinical editor, with consultation from Susan Bakewell, RN, MS, BC, director, Center for Perioperative Education.This program meets criteria for CNOR and CRNFA recertification, as well as other continuing education requirements.AORN is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.AORN is provider-approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 13019. Check with your state board of nursing for acceptance of this activity for relicensure.

PII: S0001-2092(07)00287-6

doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2007.06.022

AORN Journal
Volume 86, Issue 5 , Pages 801-814 , November 2007

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