Cardiac Surgery Infections

Antibiotics administered during surgery reduce SSI and other healthcare-associated infection risk. In cardiac surgery patients in the United States, C. difficile infections cost at least US$212 million each year. C. difficile healthcare-associated infections are increasing and are directly linked to antimicrobial exposure. Surgical site infections complicate about 8% of cardiac surgery operations, while other healthcare-associated infections complicate about 15%. Surgical site infections after cardiac surgery are associated with substantial suffering and mortality rates reported as high as 20%.