• Cheryl Crisafi, Michael C Grant, Amanda Rea, Vicki Morton-Bailey, Alexander J Gregory, Rakesh C Arora, Subhasis Chatterjee, Sylvain A Lother, Busra Cangut, Daniel T Engelman, and ERAS Cardiac Society Working Group.
• Heart & Vascular Program Baystate Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical, School-Baystate, Springfield, Mass. Electronic address: Cherylerasc@gmail.com.
• J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 2024 Nov 1; 168 (5): 150015091500-1509.

ObjectivesSurgical-site infections (SSIs) after cardiac surgery increase morbidity and mortality, consume health care resources, impair recovery, and diminish patients' quality of life. Numerous guidelines and expert consensus documents have been published to address the prevention and management of SSIs. Our objective is to integrate these documents into an order set that will facilitate the adoption and implementation of evidence-based best practices for preventing and managing SSIs after cardiac surgery.MethodsSubject matter experts were consulted to translate existing guidelines and literature into a sample turnkey order set for SSI reduction. Orders derived from consistent class I, IIA, or equivalent recommendations across referenced guidelines and consensus manuscripts appear in the turnkey order set in bold type. Selected orders that were inconsistent class I or IIA, class IIB or otherwise supported by published evidence, were also included in italicized type.ResultsPreventative care begins with the preoperative identification of both modifiable and nonmodifiable SSI risks by health care providers. Assessment tools can be used to assist in identifying patients at a high risk of SSI. Preoperative recommendations include screening for and treating Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage. Intraoperatively, tailored prophylactic intravenous antibiotics and maintaining blood glucose levels below 180 mg/dL are essential elements. Postoperative care includes maintaining normothermia, glucose control and patient engagement.ConclusionsDespite the well-documented advantages of a multidisciplinary care pathway for SSI in cardiac surgery, there are inconsistencies in its adoption and implementation. This article provides an order set that incorporates recommendations from existing guidelines to prevent SSI in the cardiac surgical population.Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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