Biofilm and Infected Wounds

By Michel H.E. Hermans, MD

Your mortgage company will not be able to hike your interest rate by 500% before the maturity date. If they tried, you could sue them for breach of contract and simply go somewhere else. If Mercedes, Hyundai or Ford hiked their prices by 5000%, you would simply visit a different dealership. You have choices and are responsible for these choices.

By Lydia A. Meyers RN, MSN, CWCN

Wound infections are discussed in the media and are a major reason for admission into the hospital. With the importance in health care today to decrease costs, I was encouraged to do research into where infections come from and the causes for hospitalization and death among wound patients. In the current data I found there is information showing how the government has increased surveillance related to reportable admission to hospital in relation to infections in wounds by home health and hospice organizations.

By Bruce E. Ruben MD

According to the American Hospital Association, over 36 million patients are admitted to hospitals every year. Presumably, these patients go to hospitals to get well, but one in 20 end up getting something else: an infection. Worse, one in nine of those infections result in death.

By Michel H.E. Hermans, MD

A recent article in Mayo Clinic's Proceedings studies contamination of stethoscopes. After a standardized physical examination, several parts of the physicians' hand were cultured and the results were compared to cultures of the stethoscope diaphragm and tube. As it turned out, fingertip contamination was highest but the diaphragm of the stethoscope showed a higher level than the thenar eminence of the physician's hand. The conclusion of the article stated that the stethoscope may play a serious role in cross contaminating patients.

By Bruce E. Ruben MD

Part 1 in a series on infection management

What is an Infection?

The world of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites has a long and storied place in the human condition. Way more often than not, bacteria live normally on our skin and line our entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus.

By Laurie Swezey RN, BSN, CWOCN, CWS, FACCWS

Although the standard treatment for infected wounds continues to include antimicrobial therapy, other therapies are gaining in popularity due to the rise in antibiotic resistance. This month's blog will explore some of these alternative therapies.

By Michael Miller DO, FACOS, FAPWCA

RAMBLINGS OF AN ITINERANT WOUND CARE GUY PT. 2

I recently recognized a puzzling aspect of my wound care practice; I am just not seeing that many infected wounds. Moreover, I seem to use much fewer antibiotics and antimicrobial agents than almost everybody else I know practicing in wound care.