INTERVIEW
Antibacterial sutures stitch the gaps in SSI care Plus Sutures are reducing the risk of surgical site infections by 28%.
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arying climates, cultures, religions, demographics, and healthcare funding landscapes in the Asia Pacific region are the reasons why the distribution of microbial pathogens responsible for surgical site infections (SSI), its prevention, and control within in-patient and post-discharge environments vary. Realising this, Johnson & Johnson gathered an expert panel of ten stakeholders from the various medical fields across the region and North America for the standardisation of evidence-based practices to improve the surgical outcomes of patients in the Asia Pacific. Johnson & Johnson’s solution to reduce SSI is its range of Plus Sutures by Ethicon, which contain triclosan, an antibacterial agent which prevents the formation of a biofilm, a known risk factor for SSI. Plus Sutures inhibit the bacterial colonisation of the suture for seven days or more against the most common organisms associated with SSI and reduce the risk by 28%. “Meta-regression analysis demonstrated that the effect of Plus Sutures in reducing the risk of SSI did not vary by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wound classification or suture type,” Johnson & Johnson said. Healthcare Asia had a conversation with Johnson & Johnson Singapore and Southeast Asia Medical Devices Portfolio Lead Guillermo Frydman on the prevalence of SSIs in the region, and what Plus Sutures can do in order to improve outcomes for surgical patients. Based on your case studies and consumer feedback, how much has SSI affected patient outcomes, economic burden (cost for patient and hospitals), and healthcare processes (hospital care and home care)? We found that SSI is the most common postoperative complication through the session conducted with the Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control expert commentary. This means that infections at or near the surgical incision are prevalent following an operation, impacting a patient’s ability to recover completely and improve their quality of life. Additional costs are also incurred for both patients and hospitals to treat the infections, putting a strain on healthcare resources to look after patients with SSIs. Research we supported found that for hospitals in Asia, additional costs incurred due to SSI can vary anywhere between US$396 to US$5237 per patient due to prolonged hospital stays, and increased morbidity and mortality following surgery or operation. However, we noted that half of all SSIs could be prevented by implementing standardised SSI prevention guidelines. This will help reduce the risk of infection for patients,
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HEALTHCARE ASIA
Guillermo Frydman, Lead, Johnson & Johnson Singapore and Southeast Asia Medical Devices Portfolio
length of stay in the hospital, and additional costs incurred due to hospital readmission.
Infections are prevalent following an operation, impacting a patient’s ability to recover
Have standards for SSIs changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how? The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of stricter measures to prevent SSI throughout healthcare systems. Established international guidelines (World Health Organization, US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Surgery) have focused on the implementation of continued surgical services and the prevention of SSI in the current climate. These measures are also concurrently implemented with training to differentiate between surgical site infection and COVID-19 infection. In line with our commitment to support healthcare personnel in the world, we focus on innovative tools such as sutures to help surgeons and patients prevent SSI. Plus Sutures play a vital role in hospital infection prevention measures and help to free up hospital beds with lower readmissions and length of stay. What difference do Asian patients with surgical site infections have from their global counterparts that affect their wound-healing processes?
