Surgical Site Infections: Causes and implication on healthcare systems and patients in low resource countries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i1.3781Keywords:
Surgical Site infection, Sterilization, gas powered autoclave, solar powered autoclaveAbstract
Surgical site infections (SSI) are a leading cause of complications and mortality in patients admitted to hospitals in low resource countries. These infections are largely a result of a lack of proper sterilization. Sterilization requires high heat and pressure typically provided by gas powered autoclaves that may not be readily available. Unclean surgical equipment leads to growth of bacteria leading to infections in patients. This paper examines the cause and effect of sterilization and SSI and implications in terms of financial and health burden on healthcare systems and patients. Finally the paper provides an alternative solution in the form of solar powered autoclaves, that is fast catching on in low resource countries.
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Boltz, M. M., Hollenbeak, C. S., Julian, K. G., Ortenzi, G., & Dillon, P. W. (2011). Hospital costs associated with surgical site infections in general and vascular surgery patients. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28410761/.
This peer-reviewed article is about vascular and general surgery patients developing Surgical Site Infections due to lack of sterilization. This supports my research that lack of sterilization and contaminated wounds leads to SSIs.
Chu, K., Maine, R., & Trelles, M. (2014, October 31). Cesarean section surgical site infections in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country study from Medecins Sans Frontieres. World journal of surgery. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25358418/.
This article outlines how women with c-sections in Sub-Saharan Africa get infected with SSIs due to a lack of sterilization. It also outlines the ways SSI patients deplete resources from already low-resource hospitals.
Dhankher, A., Drake, G., Haytko, J., Patel, Y., Sidoti, C., & Song, G. (2014). A Solar Sterilization and Distillation Unit for Water in Resource-Poor Settings. IEEE XPLORE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6970324.
This peer-reviewed article is about the technology and feasibility of solar-powered sterilization. This supports my research because it shows that the current method, gas-powered, is not effective enough to be safe or ethical to keep.
Dicko, M., Jacquet, B., Pierre, L., Kone, S., Ganivet, S., & Oni, A. Q. O. (2000). Safety of
immunization injections in Africa: not simply a ... ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12573598_Safety_of_immunization_injections_ in_Africa_Not_simply_a_problem_of_logistics.
This article is about the lack of sterilization for needles. It outlines the fact that they reuse needles even if they are dirty. This supports my research that lack of sterilization is unethical.
Kaseman, T., Boubour, J., & Schuler, D. A. (2012). Validation of the efficacy of a solar-thermal powered autoclave system for off-grid medical instrument wet sterilization. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. https://www.astmh.org/search?searchtext=Validation+of+the+Efficacy+of+a+Solar-Ther mal+Powered+Autoclave+System+for+Off-Grid++Medical+Instrument+Wet+Sterilizatio n&searchmode=anyword.
This article is about how solar autoclaves are a cheaper, more effective option for sterilization. It outlines the problems with gas autoclaves and argues why solar autoclaves are better. This supports my research that the current method of sterilization, gas-powered, is unethical.
Lubega, A., Joel, B., & Justina Lucy, N. (2017, January 12). Incidence and Etiology of Surgical Site Infections among Emergency Postoperative Patients in Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, South Western Uganda. Surgery Research and Practice. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/srp/2017/6365172/.
This peer-reviewed article is about the etiology of SSIs. The article addresses that SSIs are prominent off-grid areas without the means of powering their autoclaves. It supports my research because it discusses the role of a lack of sterilization in low resource areas in patients developing SSIs.
Shepard, J. (2013, October 1). Financial Impact of Surgical Site Infections. JAMA Surgery. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1730490.
This article is about the financial burden of SSIs on hospitals. It is the hospital's perspective on the impact of SSIs. This supports my research that the current method of sterilization is not enough, and that a lack of proper sterilization is unethical.
Sullivan, E., Gupta, A., Cook, C. H., Khan, F., Cherian, T., & Arenal, J. J. (2017, May 1). Cost and Consequences of Surgical Site Infections: A Call to Arms. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/sur.2017.072.
This article is about the financial burden of SSIs on patients. It is a patient's perspective of the costs and how high the cost of treatment for SSIs are. This supports my research that the financial burden is too great to be ethical.
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