Source: iStock
What is Post-Operative Sepsis?
In order to fully understand post-operative sepsis, we need to first understand sepsis and its effects on the body. Sepsis is when the body responds to an infection by harming its organs and tissues in an attempt to rid the body of any infection and prevent further complications. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Sepsis often shuts down organs and leads to organ failure, blood clots, and ultimately death. However, this can all be prevented by taking proper safety precautions.
Post-operative sepsis is a result of a complication during surgery that leads to sepsis. It often occurs in Emergency Rooms and after long and intensive surgeries where the risk of infection and bacteria entering the body cavity is 11%. Shorter surgeries are at a lower percentage due to the better sterilization of equipment. When surgeries are extensive and uncontrolled, they can become more careless and aim to finish rather than provide proper quality and cleanliness; this could lead to many infections and the spread of bacteria. This would ultimately lead to postoperative sepsis.
How is Post-Operative Sepsis Presented?
Post-operative sepsis presents itself through various symptoms such as confusion and distortion, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, pain, clammy extremities, etc. Postoperative sepsis and sepsis often form from bacteria that are present in or near a surgical incision. If a patient were to have a ruptured bowel, the healthy bacteria will begin to leak into the bloodstream, and the bacteria could emanate in the surgical site. This would have damaging side effects and lead to sepsis. Sepsis can also occur during surgery. The body produces fluid that collects in the abdominal cavity which is an ideal place for bacterial replication. Post-operative sepsis is not limited to these examples. There are many more causes and ways that it can be presented.
How can Post-Operative Sepsis be Prevented?
There are no proven ways to prevent postoperative sepsis. On the other hand, some safety precautions can be taken before, during, and after surgery to help minimize the risk and effect. Such precautions are as follows: sterilizing all the equipment before surgery, making sure the ICU is in a sterile situation, flushing the blood out with saline in order to prevent bacteria from manifesting, etc. However, there are ways to treat sepsis when and if it does occur. If caught earlier on, the damage could be minimal. To begin sepsis treatment, antibiotics and IV fluid will be administered to the patient regularly until they show signs of improvement. After that, there is a more structured approach in order to make sure each organ is functioning properly and is not septic. Organ function is tested using various scans and diagnosis procedures which will identify which organ needs further assistance. Then there will be a specific approach where the lungs are on a ventilator, or the kidneys are on a dialysis machine. This is the process for repairing septic organs. One may see some after effects of the infection, but it should be nowhere close to the pain of the real bacteria.
Citations:
https://sepsistrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/updatedSepsis-Post-Op-RD.pdf
https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/surgery/
https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html
https://journals.lww.com/co-criticalcare/Abstract/2011/08000/Postoperative_sepsis.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2492864
Comments