Journal of Infectious Diseases & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Today, in the United States, it has been estimated that there are approximately 300,000 surgical site infections (SSI) every year on average. Established and published SSI rates historically range from 2%–5% of patients undergoing inpatient surgery, and up to 20% of those undergoing intra-abdominal surgery. At the same time, healthcare and where it is delivered is rapidly changing. When we look at surgery today, the shift from traditional inpatient or hospital-based surgery has shifted to the outpatient setting at a remarkable pace. No longer is outpatient surgery just for less complex procedures and low comorbidity patients. Today it is for the spine, total joint replacement procedures, and other complex procedures for which a resulting SSI has the significant patient and financial impacts. Antibiotic resistance is outpacing the development of new antibiotics. Keeping up with ongoing changes in the science is challenging. Dealing with changing definitions is almost impossible. Staying abreast of guidelines, federal, and state reporting requirements are daunting. Keeping up with the latest research; while trying to manage your own practice and publish your own data is difficult. This session is designed to address a practice often disregarded in regard to SSI and the recent science to consider.

Biography

Carolyn L Twomey is the Global Vice-President, Clinical and Research, for IrriMax Corporation. She is an established healthcare executive leader with extensive experience in clinical operations, research, and regulatory domestically and internationally. She held a faculty appointment at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Department of Surgery. She was nominated by her physician peers to the Surgical Infection Society, the American College of Surgeons, and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS). She speaks globally on surgical infections and antibiotic resistance. She serves on the Medical Advisory Board for Aerobiotix.

E-mail: carolyn.l.twomey@gmail.com