Surgical Site Infections

It is the goal of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughter’s Health System (CHKDHS) to provide the best possible care for your family. Please read this information to learn about how you can help us prevent infections.

What is a surgical site infection (SSI)?

A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Most patients who have surgery do not develop an infection. However, infections develop in about 1 to 3 out of every 100 patients who have surgery.

Some of the common symptoms of a surgical site infection are:

• Redness and pain around the area where your child had surgery
• Drainage of cloudy fluid from the surgical wound
• Fever

Can SSIs be treated?

Yes. Most surgical site infections can be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic given to your child depends on the bacteria (germs) causing the infection. In some cases, the infection may be treated with local wound care. Sometimes, patients with SSIs also need another surgery to treat the infection.

What is CHKDHS doing to prevent SSIs?

To prevent SSIs, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers:

• Clean their hands and arms up to their elbows with an antiseptic agent just before surgery.
• Clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after caring for each patient.
• May remove some of your child’s hair immediately before their surgery using electric clippers if the hair is in the same area where the procedure will occur. They should not shave your child with a razor.
• Wear special hair covers, masks, gowns, and gloves during surgery to keep the surgery area clean.
• Give your child antibiotics, if needed, before surgery starts. In most cases the antibiotics should be given within 60 minutes before the surgery starts and should be stopped within 24 hours after surgery, when there was no infection present at the time of surgery.
• Clean the skin at the site of your child’s surgery with a special soap that kills germs.
• Your child should be bathed or bathe the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. For some surgeries, a special soap may be provided by your child’s doctors office. Some patients may have a wipe down with a special cloth or bath wipe in Day Surgery prior to going to the operating room.

Before your child's surgery:

• Tell your child’s doctor about other medical problems they may have. Health problems such as allergies, diabetes, and obesity could affect your child’s surgery and their treatment.
• If your adolescent child smokes, encourage them to quit smoking. Patients who smoke get more infections. Talk to your child’s doctor about how you can help them quit before surgery.
• If your child shaves, tell them to avoid shaving near the area of the surgery. Shaving with a razor can irritate the skin and make it easier to develop an infection.

At the time of your child's surgery:

• Speak up if someone tries to shave your child with a razor before surgery. Ask why they need to be shaved and talk to the surgeon if you have any concerns.
• Ask if your child will get antibiotics before surgery.

After your child's surgery:

• Make sure that all healthcare providers clean their hands before examining your child, either with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.

If you do not see your child’s healthcare providers clean their hands, please feel free to ask them if they have done it or you may ask them to do so.

• Family and friends who visit your child should not touch the surgical wound or dressings.
• Family and friends should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after visiting your child. If you do not see them clean their hands, ask them to do so.

What do I need to do before my child goes home?

• Before your child goes home, their doctor or nurse should explain everything you need to know about taking care of your child’s wound. Make sure you understand how to care for the wound before you leave the hospital.
• Always clean your hands before and after caring for your child’s wound.
• Before your child goes home, make sure you know who to contact if you have questions or problems after you get home.
• If your child has any symptoms of infection, such as redness and pain at the surgery site, drainage, or fever, call the doctor immediately.

If you have additional questions, please ask your child’s doctor or nurse.