Knowledge

Mölnlycke is aware of Surgical Site Infections (SSI) and Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) occurring as adverse effects during hospital care. Combined approach for preoperative and postoperative patient bathing and nasal decolonization is required for consideration for healthcare professionals and their patients. When coordinated solutions are used like nasal antibiotics and skin decolonization risk of Hospital acquired S. aureus infections decreased by up to 60%. Here is how they work to reduce the risk of infections1.  Skin decolonization Skin decolonization concerns the use of antiseptics solution to reduce the number of microorganisms on the skin. Common agents include for instance 4% Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) and have a wide range of activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria and yeasts, limited efficacy against viruses and fungi2. Accurate hand preparation for surgical procedure preformed by healthcare professionals and rationalizing whole body wash can reduce microbial load on the skin, thereby decrease the risk of infections. Nasal decolonization Nasal decolonization involves carriage of pathogens particularly Staphylococcus aureus including MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Nose is a common reservoir for these bacteria, decolonizing the nasal passages can prevent the spread of pathogens to other parts of the body and to other individuals5. Using photodisinfection solution for this practice is particularly important in preventing Healthcare Acquired Infection and Surgical Site Infections and minimizing the risk of self-inoculations and cross-contaminations. The photodisinfection solution is not an antibiotic unlike other solutions that are used for this purpose. Photodisinfection is a safe and efficacious way to kill microorganism in the nose without creating antibiotic resistance and without compromise compliance. Skin integrity 4% Chlorhexidine Gluconate forms a protective layer to keep patients skin with reduced range of microorganisms, immediate effect after application and continually protected for hours after use3, 4. Mölnlycke designed antiseptic is dermatologically tested, with no colouring substances, no fragrances, no soya oil traces, minimize skin irritation and the potential for allergic reactions and increases users compliance. It also contains emollients and it is gentle on the skin even when used daily.

Surgical glove powder can cause the following adverse health effects: Increased risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) Glove powder can trigger reduced resistance to infection, bacterial environmental contamination, foreign body reaction, delayed wound healing, adhesion formation and granuloma formation 1 2. All of these potential consequences can increase the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) 3. Latex allergy and occupational asthma Powdered latex gloves have been implicated as the largest single contributor to the latex aeroallergen levels in a healthcare facility 4  5. Latex proteins can be aerosolized by attaching to glove powder. This not only increases the risk of acquiring a latex allergy, but can also increase the risk of acquiring occupational asthma 6 . Glove powder increases latex allergy sensitization, potentially eliciting delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Powdered surgical gloves show higher levels of natural rubber latex allergens than gloves that are powder-free. This allows for the potential increase in latex sensitization and/or Type I reactions upon direct and indirect contact 7  8  9  10  11 Biogel surgical gloves: powder-free since 1984 Every single Biogel® surgical glove is powder-free, and has been for over 40 years. Biogel sold the world's first powder-free surgical glove in 1984, and over 40 years later, Biogel is still the only major surgical glove brand with an exclusively powder-free range.

As time management in healthcare, particularly in the surgical field, becomes more important, hospitals are actively looking for more efficiency from fewer resources. One hospital in France achieved significant improvements to operating room efficiency, according to a Mölnlycke ProcedurePak efficiency study. By implementing surgical procedure trays, European hospitals achieved 40-55% time savings in the operating room, making it possible to carry out more surgical procedures – around 37% more procedures in one hospital in France. [Video section] France Cathérine Laurent, OR nurse, Hôpital Privé des Peupliers, Groupe Générale de Santé, Paris, France Exploring how to improve operating room efficiency Hospitals in Europe are traditionally supplied with single-packed sterile products for surgical procedures. For each procedure, the nurses in the operating room need to source surgical instruments in the operating room and collect required materials from the storeroom unit by unit and set it all up for each procedure. Other necessary steps to get the right material in place include stock-taking and ordering, as well as warehousing and transportation. Hospital management today is striving for the most efficient treatment procedures without compromising on quality or safety. Thus there is increasing pressure to handle more interventions while relying on unchanged resources1, 2. Optimising internal processes to improve efficiency has become more and more important, and more effective operating room inventory management, down to the procedure level, has been identified as a way to achieve greater efficiency in the operating room. Study aim: Quantifying time savings from procedure trays The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of and quantify time savings when implementing ProcedurePak trays. Method This was an open prospective study performed as case studies in different hospitals located in Germany, France and Sweden. A total of 26 different ProcedurePak trays were used. For each of the hospitals the single-use material process was studied, from ordering of materials to disposal. This process typically consists of 6 main processes: internal order and delivery, receiving of goods in the surgical department, preparation and clean-up of surgery, external order, receiving of goods via the purchasing department and invoicing. The steps can be broken down into sub-processes and activities. For example, the main process – preparation and clean-up – can be broken down into 14 sub-processes or 33 activities. Each step in the process was described and measured both before and after implementation of the Mölnlycke ProcedurePak trays. For every step of the process, the time and cost drivers were identified by studying practical use and measuring time. Total annual time-saving after implementation of ProcedurePak trays in Germany. Results: Across hospitals, 40-59% time savings achieved The results of the study show that following the introduction of ProcedurePak trays, time-savings in the single-use material process were between 40% and 59% in the hospitals studied.   The magnitude of the time-savings depends on several factors, including the number of different ProcedurePak trays used, number of components in each tray and the number of procedures performed with trays. The largest time savings were found in the preparation and clean-up of surgery, which is a key metric for operating room waste management initiatives. But time savings were also shown in other process steps.  The time savings were used in different ways depending on individual objectives of the hospital, for example: Performance of additional surgical procedures, giving patients more timely treatment and maximising use of OR resources In the French hospital 37% more surgical procedures were performed following implementation. In the German hospital the number of interventions increased by 18% per year. Training of staff. Conclusions The case studies show that significant time-savings (40-59%) can be gained through implementing Mölnlycke customised procedure trays for surgical procedures in the operating room. The freed-up time makes it possible to perform additional surgical procedures. The financial effect of this is an area for further research. [Download] France case