Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Mediastinitis primary prevention
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Effective measures for the primary prevention of mediastinitis include nasal decolonization, hand hygiene, and antibiotic prophylaxis.
Primary Prevention
Primary Prevention
Prior to sternotomy, the following primary prevention techniques may aid in the primary prevention of mediastinitis:[1][2]
- Nasal decolonization
- Hand hygiene
- Antibiotic prophylaxis
- Pre-operative hair removal
- Surgical skin antisepsis
- Proper cleaning and drying of surgical site
- Not using creams, lotions, or ointments near surgical site without physician permission
- Wearing a support bra for large breasted female/obese male patients
- Restrict lifting movements
References
References
- ↑ Mediastinitis: a potentially lethal infection. Thoracic Surgery – Thoracics.org (2012). http://thoracics.org/2012/03/03/mediastinitis-noncardiac-surgery/ Accessed on October 2, 2015
- ↑ Guide for the Prevention of Mediastinitis Surgical Site Infection Following Cardiac Surgery. APIC (2008). http://apic.org/Resource_/EliminationGuideForm/a994706c-8e6c-4807-b89a-6a7e6fb863dd/File/APIC-Mediastinitis-Elimination-Guide.pdf Accessed on October 2, 2015
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Anthony Gallo, B.S. [2]