title: A systematic review of clinical effectiveness of wound edge protector devices in reducing surgical site infections in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
abstract: This article highlights the clinical effectiveness of wound edge protector devices (WEPD) in preventing the post-operative surgical site infections (SSI) in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Using the principles of meta-analysis and systematic review as recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration, the data from selected randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) were analysed to generate summated outcome and presented in the form of odds ratio (OR). Eighteen RCTs on 3808 reported the effectiveness of WEPD in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The use of WEPD was associated with the reduced incidence of overall SSI (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.43-0.81; z = 3.30; p < 0.001) and superficial SSI (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.18-0.95; z = 2.09; p < 0.04). In addition, WEPD also successfully reduced the risk of SSI in clean-contaminated wounds (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.46-0.98; z = 2.06; p < 0.04) as well as in contaminated wounds (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.12-0.49; z = 3.96; p < 0.0001). WEPD seems to be an effective intervention to reduce the risk of post-operative SSI in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. surgeon1wrh@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad Shafique
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sajid
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery, Pilgrims Hospital, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Sibsey Road, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 9QS, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rathore
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sains
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endoscopic, Laparoscopic Upper GI Surgery and Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Abdominal surgery; Surgical site infection; Wound edge protector device