The effect of strict infection control policies on the rate of infection after elective foot and ankle surgery

摘要

The rate of surgical site infection after electivefoot and ankle surgery is higher than that after other elective orthopaedicprocedures.Since December 2005, we have prospectively collected data onthe rate of post-operative infection for 1737 patients who haveundergone elective foot and ankle surgery. In March 2008, additionalinfection control policies, focused on surgical and environmentalrisk factors, were introduced in our department.We saw a 50% reduction in the rate of surgical site infectionafter the introduction of these measures. We are, however, awarethat the observed decrease may not be entirely attributable to thesemeasures alone given the number of factors that predispose to post-operativewound infection.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:516–19.