A hospital observed surgical site infections in certain patients who underwent surgical procedures in the hospital’s operating rooms. According to the CDC, the estimated average cost of a surgical site infection (SSI) can be more than $25,000, increasing to more than $90,000 if the SSI involves a prosthetic implant.
The hospital had a number of procedures and protocols in place to reduce the risk of SSIs and was looking for additional ways to minimize the risk and frequency of these infections. The hospital was interested in an air purification system that could reduce microorganisms in the air and on surfaces within the operating room and contacted Steris, the exclusive Pyure distributor for hospital operating rooms.
Steris installed Pyure induct units into the HVAC system above one operating room, together with Steris’ CleanSuite® laminar air flow system. The installation enabled air treated with Pyure to be directed over the operating table, protecting the patient and the surgical team. The system was sized to ensure effectiveness, taking into account over 20 air changes per hour in the operating room.
In the months that followed the installation, the hospital did not record any surgical site infections in patients undergoing surgical procedures in the operating room. The hospital subsequently installed the Pyure system in the other operating rooms of the hospital.
It has been over two years since the Pyure unit was installed in the operating room, and the hospital has not recorded any surgical site infections since. The estimated payback of the Pyure system was less than three months, given the cost of SSIs.
In addition to the reduced risk of surgical site infections, the surgical teams noticed that the operating room smelled fresher and that there was a substantial reduction in the odors resulting from cauterizations and other surgical procedures.
For more information about successful outcomes in Healthcare settings, please contact our sales team at sales@pyure.com.
Healthcare
