Prevention and treatment of wound infections after caesarean section

Abstract

Caesarean section (cS) is one of the most common obstetric operations in the world. About 32 % of all births end by caesarean section. Postpartum infection at the surgical site, wound infection and endometritis are the main causes of long stays in maternity hospitals and are a source of additional costs for the healthcare system. In 2–16 % of cases postpartum endometritis develops. Many risk factors for the development of postpartum infections have been described. These include maternal factors (such as tobacco use, inadequate prenatal care, obesity, corticosteroid use; prematurity, multiple gestation, and uterine scar), intrapartum and operative factors (such as chorioamnionitis; premature rupture of membranes; prolonged anhydrous period; prolonged labor , especially a long second period; large incision of the anterior abdominal wall; subcutaneous tissue thickness more than 3 cm; subcutaneous hematoma; lack of antibiotic prophylaxis; rapid labor; massive blood loss during childbirth). Effective measures to reduce the incidence of obstetric infectious complications include prophylactic use of antibiotics (preoperative preparation with first-generation cephalosporins and intravenous azithromycin), preoperative showering with chlorhexidine instead of iodine, shaving immediately before surgery, vaginal sanitation, removal of the placenta by traction of the umbilical cord, suturing of the subcutane-ous tissue, if the depth of the wound is larger than 2 cm and suturing the skin with sutures instead of using staples. Establishing an evidence-based optimal care algorithm for patients after caesarean section can reduce the incidence of serious infectious complications.

Keywords

• caesarean section
• preoperative showering
• surgical knots
• wound infections
• vaginal sanitation