Jump to content
Caesarean section

Sorbact dressings after caesarean section

Childbirth is one of life’s great miracles. Today, caesarean section is performed as an emergency life-saving operation or as a planned procedure. Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common postoperative complication for a woman undergoing caesarean section. By understanding that the choice of dressing can make a difference, we have come a long way.

What can you gain from using Sorbact after a caesarean section?

Sorbact can be a part of preventing and managing birth-related wounds and post-caesarean section infection. Learn more about how the risk of SSI can be reduced in our video and afterwards calculate your potential savings with Sorbact.

Sorbact reduces the risk of infection in wounds

Sorbact bacteria and fungi binding dressings prevent and treat wound infections by lowering the bioburden.[1]View reference information [2]View reference information Bacteria irreversibly bind and anchor to the unique Sorbact surface. Safe and effective removal of bacteria reduces the bioburden in wounds which facilitates the healing process. With the Sorbact mode of action, development of bacterial or fungal resistance is not expected.

Since there are no active agents released into the wound[3]View reference information, Sorbact dressings can be used right from the start, in all patients, in the short-term or for prolonged treatment of already infected wounds.

What’s the impact of SSI after a caesarean section? Voices from a quality improvement program in caesarean section[4]View reference information

It just made me really worried and stressed. I struggled to breastfeed anyway and gave up while recovering from infection.

Woman F

I had a two-year-old and a newborn to look after so relied heavily on family to help me, due to pain and appointments. I was put on two types of antibiotics following my C-section, but had developed an infection anyway.

Woman A

As a result, my husband had to take extra unpaid leave from work which affected us financially.

Woman E

Tablet showing Sorbact’s SSI savings calculator.

Calculate potential savings with Sorbact

Based on a randomized controlled study we have set up a calculator for you to estimate the value of preventing SSI in caesarean section. Read more about this study (Opens in new tab)

Disclaimer: This value calculator is for illustrative purposes only. Any savings will vary depending on the hospital’s practices, internal routines and procedures, type of patients and the quality of efforts made locally.

Estimate potential savings with Sorbact

Number of caesarean sections per period

Current incidence of SSI

Using Sorbact

2.5%

Average cost of an SSI

The cost of dressings (to protect and prevent infection) is not included in the calculation. It is often a minor part of the total.

Standard dressing
Sorbact

total number of SSIs

less SSIs

A relative SSI risk reduction of 65 % is expected when using Sorbact

Standard dressing
Sorbact

total cost

cost savings for SSIs

A relative SSI risk reduction of 65 % is expected when using Sorbact

Sorbact is recommended by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in UK[5]View reference information

NICE medical technologies guidance mtg55 suggests that Leukomed Sorbact:

  • Reduces SSI in caesarean section
  • May reduce antibiotic use
  • May reduce readmissions from wound complications
  • Could save the NHS up to £5.3 million per year
  • Cost savings are expected

Leukomed is a registered trademark of BSN Medical GmbH

EWMA Document

Sorbact is recommended by EWMA[6]View reference information

Valuable information has been produced by EWMA. This paper provides the latest techniques for managing and preventing birth-related wounds and post-caesarean section infection. Sorbact is the only dressing in the document that is indicated for preventing as well as treating already-infected surgical wounds.

Evidence on Sorbact in caesarean section

Proven to prevent and treat wound infection in more than 40 clinical studies and in publications including over 7,000 patients, Sorbact has more than 30 years of successful use in clinical practice. Today Sorbact is helping patients in over 65 countries around the world and we are continuing this important work by collecting clinical data.

Published study

Sorbact prevents wound infections

A randomized controlled study among 543 patients undergoing elective or emergency caesarean section, comparing Sorbact Surgical Dressing to standard surgical dressing (1.8 % vs. 5.2 %) p=0.04.

Stanirowski PJ, Bizoń M, et al. 2016. Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Dialkylcarbamoyl Chloride Impregnated Dressings for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Adult Women Undergoing Cesarean Section. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 17(4):427-435. doi.org/10.1089/sur.2015.223 (Opens in new tab)

Pilot study

Sorbact reduces the need for antibiotics

A randomized controlled pilot study on 142 women undergoing caesarean sections. Requirement of systemic antibiotic: 7 % (Control) vs. 0 % (Sorbact) p=0.03. Rate of SSI: 9.8 % (Control) vs. 2.8 % (Sorbact) p=0.08.

Stanirowski PJ, Kociszewska A, et al. 2016. Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride-impregnated dressing for the prevention of surgical site infection in women undergoing cesarean section: a pilot study. Arch Med Sci. 12(5):1036-1042. doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2015.47654 (Opens in new tab)

Listen to a presentation by Paweł Stanirowski MD PhD

Listen to the presentation by Paweł Stanirowski MD PhD, from the Congress of the European Society of Gynecology in Vienna 2019. He presented the results from his studies where Sorbact was used to prevent SSI after caesarean section.

Cost savings with Sorbact Surgical Dressing

543 women were recruited to the study and SSI rates were 1.8% and 5.2% for DACC™ surgical dressings and standard of care respectively. The DACC™ group had six fewer outpatient visits and 33 fewer days in the hospital. UK unit costs were applied and produced a cost saving of £119 (57.6%) per patient with DACC™ surgical dressings.

Stanirowski PJ, Davies H, et al. 2019. Cost-effectiveness of a bacterial-binding dressing to prevent surgical site infection following caesarean section. J Wound Care. 28(4):222-228.

A new pathway showed equal SSI rates with Sorbact Surgical Dressing and NPWT

Leukomed Sorbact was evaluated in a new wound management pathway in women with raised body mass index undergoing caesarean section. The results showed no change in SSIs compared to NPWT but there was potential cost savings.

Clarke L and Livesey A. 2021. Dressing evaluation and audit for women with raised BMI undergoing caesarean section. J Community Nurs. 35(2):49-53.

Leukomed is a registered trademark of BSN Medical GmbH

Reduced SSI rates for women undergoing caesarean section and cost-savings for the NHS

A quality improvement program was implemented by ABUHB maternity service to reduce SSIs after caesarean section. This was done by a multifactor approach including changes in pre-operative care, new drapes, implementation of Sorbact Surgical Dressing and 4-5 days of undisturbed healing instead of 24 hours. This holistic approach to quality improvement reduced the SSI rate and showed cost savings for the NHS.

Taylor L, Mills E, et al. 2020. Reducing SSI rates for women birthing by caesarean section. J Community Nurs. 34(3):50-53.

A systematic review and meta-analysis confirms that DACC™-coated dressings reduces SSI rates

A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of wound dressings in the prevention of SSI after caesarean section. Six citations were included in the meta-analysis with two RCTs that assessed DACC™-coated wound dressings. Subgroup meta-analysis confirmed significant benefits of DACC™-coated dressings in SSI prevention.

Wijetunge S, Hill R, et al. 2021. Advanced dressings for the prevention of surgical site infection in women post-caesarean section: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 267:226-233.

References

  1. Gentili V, Gianesini S, et al. 2012. Panbacterial real-time PCR to evaluate bacterial burden in chronic wounds treated with Cutimed Sorbact. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 31(7):1523-1529.

    External link to reference1 (Opens in new tab) Back
  2. Mosti G, Magliaro A, et al. 2015. Comparative study of two antimicrobial dressings in infected leg ulcers: a pilot study. J Wound Care. 24(3):121-122, 124-127.

    External link to reference2 (Opens in new tab) Back
  3. Data on file. Abigo Medical.

    Back
  4. Taylor L, Mills E, et al. 2020. Reducing SSI rates for women birthing by caesarean section. J Community Nurs. 34(3):50-53.

    External link to reference4 (Opens in new tab) Back
  5. NICE. 2021. Leukomed Sorbact for preventing surgical site infection. NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 1-17.

    External link to reference5 (Opens in new tab) Back
  6. Childs C, Sandy-Hodgetts K, et al. 2020. Birth-Related Wounds: Risk, Prevention and Management of Complications After Vaginal and Caesarean Section Birth. J Wound Care. 29(Sup11a).

    External link to reference6 (Opens in new tab) Back