trends and aid in auditing processes . Surveillance is likely to be most effective if the system has been discussed and developed by the practice team , to ensure it is appropriate for the individual veterinary practice [ 17 ] .
Active surveillance can be time-consuming and , as the majority of postoperative wound complications are already noted in a patient ' s clinical records , there is a risk of non-compliance if busy staff are expected to duplicate these notes elsewhere . However , it has proven to be the most effective type of surveillance , and ensures that a proactive approach can be taken to identify trends in reported SSIs [ 17 ] .
To maximise the effectiveness of SSI monitoring , active surveillance can be paired with retrospective or passive surveillance , which looks at previously performed surgeries , and the data are collated to estimate an overall complication rate [ 17 ] . The drawbacks of passive surveillance are that it may take longer to notice trends in postoperative complications , it is more reactive than proactive , and it can result in a gross underestimation of the number of postoperative complications [ 17 ] .
Conclusions
When an SSI occurs , it can negatively affect the veterinary team , the patient and its owner . The animal will require more veterinary care and further interventions , which can increase the cost of the procedure by an average of 75 % [ 1 ] . Organ / space SSIs are associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates and increased readmission rates and prolonged periods of hospitalisation , which can lead to other hospitalacquired infections , the breakdown of the skin barrier and increased antibiotic use , all of which contribute to poorer healing outcomes , lower staff morale and reduced owner trust [ 1 ] . The prevention of postoperative wound complications using the methods discussed in this article forms the basis of a surgical antimicrobial stewardship process that can be adopted by all members of the veterinary team .
Conflict of interest
The author is a sales specialist for Essity .
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