New preoperative prepping kit to address surgical site infection risk

3M's Infection Prevention Division and Sage Products are working together to offer surgical staff and patients a new preoperative prepping kit to help address surgical site infection (SSI) risk within three main reservoirs of bacteria in the body: the nares, the oral cavity and the skin.

“By packaging our products together in a cost-effective, convenient kit, we are working together to achieve our mutual goals of reducing infections.”

Each reservoir creates a need for a systematic intervention which may help reduce the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI). Patient flora is the leading cause of SSIs which result in as many as 3.7 million additional hospitalization days and an annual overall cost of 1.6 billion in the United States. ^1,2 In an attempt to decrease infection trends and costs, Medicare's reimbursement structure will be based on a pay-for-performance philosophy beginning in 2013. Facilities will be required to demonstrate a reduction in healthcare-acquired infections (HAI), under which SSIs are categorized, in order to receive full payment.

The Nose to Toes™ kit is a new system designed to reduce bacteria on the patient's skin and in the oral cavity. This antiseptic solution does not impact a facility's antibiotic stewardship program. The kit includes these three products:

• 3M™ Skin and Nasal Antiseptic (Povidone-Iodine Solution 5% w/w [0.5% available iodine] USP) Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation— reduces bacterial counts in the nares in one hour and maintains this reduction for at least 12 hours.³
• 3M™ Peridex (Chlorhexidine Gluconate 0.12%) Oral Rinse and Sage® Ultra-soft Toothbrush —provides antimicrobial activity during oral rinsing.
• Sage® 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloths — Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation - contains 500mg of rinse-free 2% CHG solution per cloth for rapid, broad spectrum skin antisepsis with persistent activity.

Packaged together, this comprehensive kit helps clinicians and staff control the process for preoperative prepping, eliminating patient non-compliance in these areas.

"This simple intervention is easily and quickly applied in the preoperative environment. Reducing the patient's skin flora before they enter the operating room promotes positive patient outcomes," said Scott Brown, president and COO of Sage Products.

Debra Rectenwald, president and general manager, 3M Infection Prevention Division, added, "By packaging our products together in a cost-effective, convenient kit, we are working together to achieve our mutual goals of reducing infections."

The Nose to Toes™ kit is exclusively available for sale from Sage Products.