Ways the anesthesiologist can contribute to the prophylaxis of infection in the surgical patient.
OBJECTIVE
Besides the increase in hospital costs, surgical patients with nosocomial infection may not recover their previous condition and their condition can even evolve to death. Besides well-established patient-related risks, postoperative infection is also dependent on the surgical procedure, the hospital conditions and the surgeon. Despite several protocols to prevent nosocomial infections, standardization of intraoperative interventions to optimize those patients does not exist. Thus, the objective of this review was to discuss some of those interventions that are effective and necessary, alerting anesthesiologists of their importance in preventing nosocomial infections.


BACKGROUND
In this review, the causes of infections in surgical patients as well as the adequate administration of antibiotics, temperature and blood glucose control, and strategies of mechanical ventilation, hydration, and transfusions that can reduce the incidence of infections in surgical patients are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
The anesthesiologist is the professional who should intervene in the intraoperative period with simple measures to optimize the care of surgical patients and to reduce the incidence of infections.
Ferreira
Fabiana Aparecida Penachi Bosco
FA
Disciplina de Anestesiologia da FMUSP.
Marin
Maria Ligia Gomes
ML
Strabelli
Tânia Mara V
TM
Carmona
Maria José Carvalho
MJ
D000776:Anesthesiology; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic