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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 87-B, Issue 7, 997-999.
doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.87B7.16061  
Copyright © 2005 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
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A study of telephone screening and direct observation of surgical wound infections after discharge from hospital

J. Reilly, PhD, BA(Hons), RGN, Consultant Nurse Epidemiologist1; A. Noone, MSc, FFPHM, Consultant Medical Epidemiologist1; A. Clift, RGN, Audit Nurse2; L. Cochrane, BSc, PhD, Lecturer2; L. Johnston, RGN, BN, Audit Manager2; D. I. Rowley, BMedBiol, MD, FRCS, Professor2; G. Phillips, MB BS, FRCPath, Dip HIC, Consultant Medical Microbiology3; and F. Sullivan, PhD, FRCP, FRCGP, Professor4

1 Health Protection Scotland, Clifton House, Clifton Place, Glasgow G3 7BR, UK.
2 University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery
3 Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.
4 Community Health Sciences, Tayside Centre for General Practice, Mackenzie Building, Kirsty Semple Way, Dundee, UK.

Correspondence should be sent to Professor D. I. Rowley; e-mail: d.i.rowley{at}dundee.ac.uk

Post-discharge surveillance of surgical site infection is necessary if accurate rates of infection following surgery are to be available. We undertook a prospective study of 376 knee and hip replacements in 366 patients in order to estimate the rate of orthopaedic surgical site infection in the community. The inpatient infection was 3.1% and the post-discharge infection rate was 2.1%. We concluded that the use of telephone interviews of patients to identify the group at highest risk of having a surgical site infection (those who think they have an infection) with rapid follow-up by a professional trained to diagnose infection according to agreed criteria is an effective method of identifying infection after discharge from hospital.






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Registered charity no: 209299     Print ISSN: 0301-620X
Hip, Knee, Trauma, Upper limb, Foot & Ankle, Paediatrics, Oncology, Spine, Arthroplasty, General