Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40503594›Full record

ArticleInternational wound journal2025

Impact of Polyhexanide Care Bundle on Surgical Site Infections in Paediatric and Neonatal Cardiac Surgery: A Propensity Score-Matched Retrospective Cohort Study.

Gianluca Castiello, Giuseppe Caravella, Greta Ghizzardi, Gianluca Conte, Arianna Magon, Tiziana Fiorini, Laurenzia Ferraris, Simona De Vecchi, Veronica Calorenne, Andreea Alina Andronache and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International wound journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Gianluca CastielloIntensive Care Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Giuseppe CaravellaPharmacy Service, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Greta GhizzardiHealth Professions Directorate, Bachelor in Nursing Course, ASST Lodi, Lodi, Italy.
Gianluca ConteHealth Professions Research and Development Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8171-8203
Arianna MagonHealth Professions Research and Development Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Tiziana FioriniHealth Professions Directorate, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Laurenzia FerrarisHospital Infection Control Committee, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Simona De VecchiPaediatric Care Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Veronica CalorenneIntensive Care Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Andreea Alina AndronachePaediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Centre, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Alessandro VarricaDepartment of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Alessandro GiambertiDepartment of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Antonio SaracinoPaediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Centre, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Rosario CarusoClinical Research Service, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7736-6209

Funding

B. Braun Milano S.p.A.'Ricerca Corrente' funding from the Italian Ministry of Health to IRCCS Policlinico San Donato
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) care bundle on the occurrence rates of surgical site infections (SSIs) in paediatric and neonatal cardiac surgery, addressing a critical gap in paediatric-specific infection prevention protocols. A retrospective cohort study included patients under 18 years old who underwent cardiac surgery at IRCCS Policlinico San Donato. Cohort A (n = 117) received the PHMB care bundle from April to December 2023, while Cohort B (n = 801) received conventional care from September 2020 to March 2023. The 1:1 propensity score matching was used to balance covariates between cohorts, resulting in two comparable cohorts (Cohort A = 114 patients and Cohort B = 112). The study found a significant reduction in SSIs among patients receiving the PHMB care bundle compared with those receiving conventional care (1.8% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.048). The comprehensive nature of the PHMB care bundle, including educational programs, preoperative and postoperative antimicrobial treatments, and consistent application of best practices, was instrumental in achieving these outcomes. Implementing antimicrobial care bundles could significantly reduce SSIs in paediatric cardiac surgery. Future research is needed to refine the tested bundle with prospective approaches.

Indexed as

BiguanidesCardiac Surgical ProceduresDisinfectantsPatient Care BundlesSurgical Wound InfectionAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornItalyMalePropensity ScoreBiguanidesDisinfectantspolihexanidecardiac surgeryinfection controlpaediatric surgerypolyhexanidesurgical site infection

Identifiers

PMID40503594
PMCPMC12159764

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.