A new article published in the European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology examines surgical site infections and how single-use instrumentation can affect patient outcomes.
The researchers examined 49 patients who underwent instrumented posterior lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease. The patients received surgery on one to four levels of the spine with Safe Orthopaedics' single-use SteriSpine PS Pedicle Screw System kits in two centers.
Here are five key notes:
1. The single-use instrumentation could reduce surgical site infection from 6 percent to 2 percent; only one infection occurred among the patients participating in the study.
2. The Safe Orthopaedics products preserve screws and rods inside the sterile pack to reduce exposure to air-borne bacteria in the operating room.
3. The surgical time is reduced by 12 percent.
4. The researchers reported minimal blood loss, which can also reduce the risk for surgical site infections.
5. There are more than 40,000 patients who suffer surgical site infection after spine surgery every year. SSI can prolong patient stay at the hospital and double the chance of rehospitalization. It also increases total costs by around 300 percent.
"This publication confirms the results of the recent retrospective clinical study conducted by Dr. Gregory Lanford in Nashville," said Yves Vignancour, CEO of Safe Orthopaedics. "He also reported a potential reduction in infection rate when using our breakthrough single-use surgical instruments for lumbar fusion. It is an important step forward as it confirms the potential gains of using Safe Orthopaedics' products both in the U.S. and Europe."