Surgeons have stated that the primary goal of surgery is to save lives, but unsafe surgery can cause significant harm to the patient and if bacteria enters the body during surgery, it can lead to surgical site infections (SSI).
They said this during ‘Wound Management Workshop’ held at the PDC Hall of Ojha Campus under the auspices of Dow University of Health Sciences. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Quality Assurance and Control, General Surgery, and Plastic Surgery Departments of Dow University Hospital.
The workshop was presided over by the Head of General Surgery, Professor Dr. Naveed Ali Khan, Dow University Hospital’s Quality Assurance Officer, Maimoona Fatima was the moderator while Assistant Professor General Surgery Dr. Abdul Khalique, Assistant Professor Plastic Surgery Dr. Fahad Hanif, and Consultant Infectious Diseases Dr. Nazia Arshad were the speakers.
The workshop was attended by large number of students. In his address at the Wound Management Workshop, Professor Dr. Naveed Ali Khan emphasized that taking care of surgical and other wounds is extremely important and that there have been advancements in this area. He mentioned that plastic surgeons do not agree with some of the methods adopted in general surgery.
He said that this workshop was organized to improve the treatment of patients. In address at the Wound Management Workshop, experts stated that timely care of wounds can prevent the patient from experiencing significant discomfort.
Dr. Abdul Khalique emphasized that basic wound management should be followed before treating a wound: wash hands, wear gloves, clean the wound and the surrounding skin, and then dress the wound according to its nature.
He said that if a wound gets infected, the patient may complain of pain. He noted that while pain is common after surgery, if the pain persists beyond 48 hours, it should not be ignored as the infection may worsen. He stressed that preventing infection is a crucial part of wound treatment, which includes the use of sterilized tools, proper wound dressing, and educating patients about the signs of infection.
He said that early detection can significantly improve healing outcomes. Later, Assistant Professor Plastic Surgery Dr. Fahad Hanif talked about wound healing, he told the students the 4 stages of wound healing. He also mentioned that vitamins A, C, and E are essential for wound healing.
He noted that wounds in diabetic patients take longer to heal. He also said that age plays a significant role in wound healing, with children’s wounds healing faster and some scars disappearing over time, while older people’s wounds take longer to heal. He emphasized that preventing infection in wounds, especially in surgeries involving implants, is crucial because there is no blood supply which can cause further complexities. He further said that if an infection occurs, removing the implant is often the only solution, which is common in knee replacement surgeries.
Furthermore, Consultant Infectious Diseases Dr. Nazia Arshad discussed about infections occurring during surgery and their prevention. She stated that the primary goal of surgery is to save lives, but unsafe surgery can cause significant harm to the patient and, in some cases, can be fatal. She mentioned that if bacteria enter the body during surgery, it can lead to surgical site infections.
She explained that these infections can be prevented through three stages: preoperative (before surgery), intraoperative (during surgery), and postoperative (after surgery) precautions. She said that before surgery, hair is removed using a razor, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended using electric clippers instead to prevent skin infections.
She further mentioned that less than 10 people should enter the operating theatre within an hour to avoid the foreign microbes. Earlier, doctors were given a pre-test form before the workshop. Later, after lectures in the workshop, experts trained students on various wound treatment methods.