Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride dressings in the prevention of surgical site infections after nonimplant vascular surgery

Abstract

Background: Dressings coated with dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC) are highly hydrophobic and irreversibly bind multiple types of bacteria, trapping them in the dressing and reducing the number of organisms at the wound surface. We aimed to assess the impact of DACC-coated postoperative dressings on the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in nonimplant vascular surgery patients.

Methods: Two hundred patients undergoing nonimplant vascular surgery were prospectively recruited at a single vascular center. The initial 100 patients had their operative wounds dressed with conventional dressings followed by 100 patients who received DACC-coated postoperative dressings. Wounds were reviewed at day 5 and day 30 to determine the presence of SSI using the ASEPSIS scoring system. The variation in outcomes between groups was assessed using chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis to assess the effects of other variables, which may affect healing.

Results: Between 1 August 2015 and 29 February 2016, a total of 120 men and 80 women were recruited. The mean age was 63 (range 27–97) years, 92% were current or ex-smokers and 45.5% were diabetic. Rate of SSI at 5 days was significantly lower in the DACC group compared with standard dressings (1% vs 10%, P < 0.05). There was no difference in the rates of SSI at 30 days. Logistic regression suggested that the type of dressing used was the most prominent predictor variable for the presence of early SSI (P = 0.028, odds ratio = 0.09, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.77).

Conclusion: DACC-coated dressings were associated with a significant reduction in SSI rates in the early postoperative period.