Aseptic Technique

Question 1

What is asepsis?

Answer 1

Absence of pathogenic microbes in living tissue

Question 2

What is aseptic technique

Answer 2

techniques that prevent pathogenic microbes from entering living tissue

Question 3

How long can It take for infections associated with implants to appear? What would you need to do?

Answer 3

1 year! Take out the plate/implant

Question 4

Surgical Infection

Answer 4

Infection occurring up to 30 days
after surgery, 1 year if implant

Question 5

Sterilization

Answer 5

Process of destroying all microorganisms on inanimate objects

Question 6

What are the 3 T’s of wound infection?

Answer 6

Time, Trauma, Trash

Question 7

What is the difference between disinfectants and antiseptics?

Answer 7

Disinfections destroy pathogenic microbes on inanimate objects, antiseptics do the same on living tissue

Question 8

What determines risk of infection?

Answer 8

of pathogens in wound
Duration of operation (1 hr = infection rate doubles)
Foreign material in wound
Type of procedure

Question 9

What are the 4 classifications of operative wounds? What are the associated infection rates?

Answer 9

Clean - 2.5-6%
Clean-Contaminated - 2.5-9.5%
Contaminated - 5.5-28%
Dirty (Infected) - 18-25%

Question 10

What is a ‘clean’ operative wound?

Answer 10

Nontraumatic, elective procedure
No acute inflammation
No break in aseptic technique
No entry into GI, urogenital, or resp. tracts

Question 11

What is a ‘clean-contaminated’ operative wound?

Answer 11

Entry into GI, urogenital, or resp. tracts
No significant contamination
Minor break in aseptic technique

Question 12

What is a ‘contaminated’ operative wound?

Answer 12

Fresh traumatic wounds (<4 hr old)
Spillage from GI or urogenital tracts
Major break in aseptic technique

Question 13

What is a ‘dirty’ wound?

Answer 13

Traumatic wound >4 hr old or with devitalized tissue or foreign bodies
Perforated viscus
Acute bacterial inflammation or pus
“Clean” tissues transected to access an abscess

Question 14

What host factors can contribute to infection risk after surgery?

Answer 14

Prior irradiation of sx site
Age (>8 yrs)
Distant site of active infection
Abnormal BCS

Question 15

What factors prior to sx can contribute to infection risk after sx?

Answer 15

Clipping of surgical sites pre-induction
Inadequate skin prep
Anesthesia time >60mins
Admin of propofol

Question 16

What factors after to sx can contribute to infection risk after sx?

Answer 16

Intraoperative contamination of >10^5 organism / gram of tissue
Sx time > 90 minutes
Excessive electrocautery
Foreign material/debris
Braided / multifilament material

Question 17

What are the food/water guidelines for pets prior to sx?

Answer 17

Remove food 12hrs pre-sx. Prevents vomiting/aspiration pneumonia
Young animals remove food no sooner than 4hrs
Water is ok

Question 18

How do you prep a patient for surgery (in broad terms)

Answer 18

Walk the patient (don’t need an OR poop!)
ID patient and correct surgical site
Clip hair after anesthesia induction

Question 19

Why wouldn’t you clip a patient’s hair before anesthetic induction?

Answer 19

3x greater incidence of infection

Question 20

How long after surgery does AB administration no longer decrease infection risk?

Answer 20

4 hours