Checklist for the prevention of sternal wound infections

Deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) are a severe complication after cardiac surgery. They are associated with higher morbidity and mortality as well as prolonged hospital stay of patients and additional costs. The strategy for specific infection prevention is complex and has to involve all healthcare professionals providing care to patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Preoperative Staphylococcus aureus/MRSA screening, decolonization measures, hair clipping instead of shaving, adherence to perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, intraoperative blood glucose control, and change of dressings as well as infection control measures (e.g., active surveillance of surgical site infections (SSO, compliance observations, and instruction/training of healthcare professionals) are essential in order to prevent SSI. By implementing and using a checklist, R has already been proven that the complex measures during the pre-, intra-, and postoperative course of events could be reliably reproduced.