Preventive strategies in paediatric cardiovascular surgery: impact on surgical site infections and beyond

Background: Surgical management of congenital heart disease (CHD) has increased worldwide, but healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can threaten these efforts. Aim: To analyse the incidence of HAI, the impact of preventive interventions, and microbiological profiles in a paediatric cardiovascular surgery programme. Methods: Cohort study including children aged <12 years with CHD who underwent cardiovascular surgery between 2010 and 2021 in Medellín, Colombia (a middle-income setting). Data were collected from medical and laboratory records and infection control programme databases. Impact of various preventive interventions was assessed using a Poisson model. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Findings: A total of 2512 surgeries were analysed. Incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) was 5.9%, followed by central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI; 4.7%), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI; 2.2%), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP; 1.4%). Most of the strategies focused on preventing SSI, resulting in a reduction from 9.5% in 2010 to 3.0% in 2021 (P = 0.030). Antibiotic prophylaxis based on patient weight and continuous infusion had an impact on reducing SSI (RR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.32–0.99). Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) in clean wounds reduced 100% of infections. No significant risk reduction was observed for other HAI with the implemented interventions. Conclusion: Preventive strategies effectively reduced SSI but no other infections, emphasizing the need for targeted approaches to address a broader spectrum of HAI successfully.