Isolation wards for MRSA postive cuts infection by 85%

Link: The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Proceedings).

   Since Aug‘03 pre-operative MRSA screening & a ward reserved exclusively for MRSA free joint replacement patients has been used. All postoperative wound infections within 3 months following THR & TKR were monitored. Before screening, 0.59% of 3386 were acutely infected with MRSA. After institution of study policy, 0.10% of 1034, were infected with MRSA.. This was a 6 fold decrease (p<0.05). The rate of MRSA infection in a control of hemiarthroplasties was unchanged during this period. A policy of MRSA screening & an MRSA free joint replacement ward reduces the incidence of acute MRSA infections.