Burn Care / SSI Prevention

Regional Burn Center: Zero Surgical Site Infections in 6 Months

Burn and Trauma CenterHouston, TX32 bedsResults over 6 months

The Regional Burn Center at Southwest Medical was experiencing a surgical site infection rate of 8.2% in burn patients undergoing skin grafting procedures. Wound contamination during traditional bathing was identified as a contributing factor. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA were the primary pathogens.

Results at a Glance

SSI Rate (Burn Graft Patients)
8.2%0%
100% down
Graft Failure Rate
12%4%
67% down
ICU Length of Stay
18 days13 days
5 days shorter
Cost per Patient Episode
$94K$71K
$23K saved

The Challenge

The Regional Burn Center at Southwest Medical was experiencing a surgical site infection rate of 8.2% in burn patients undergoing skin grafting procedures. Wound contamination during traditional bathing was identified as a contributing factor. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA were the primary pathogens.

The Solution

The burn unit implemented the Bed Shower Wib system with a customized aseptic showering protocol developed with the burn surgery team. The Wib's controlled water delivery and drainage system allowed thorough wound cleansing without cross-contamination, while CHG solution addressed the primary gram-positive pathogens.

Learn About Wib™

Implementation Process

1

Collaborated with burn surgery and infection control teams to develop an aseptic Wib protocol.

2

Trained burn unit nurses on wound-specific CHG bathing technique and Wib operation.

3

Implemented pre-operative Wib bathing for all patients scheduled for skin grafting procedures.

4

Monitored wound cultures, SSI rates, and graft outcomes weekly for 6 months.

5

Developed a facility-specific protocol document shared with the American Burn Association.

"Burn wound hygiene is extraordinarily complex. The Wib allowed us to achieve a level of wound cleanliness that was simply impossible with traditional methods. Six months of zero SSIs in our graft patients — that is a result that speaks for itself."
Dr. Anthony Chen, MD, FACS
Chief of Burn Surgery, Southwest Medical Regional Burn Center

Share this case study

LinkedInX / Twitter

Key Outcomes

Zero surgical site infections in burn graft patients over 6 consecutive months

67% reduction in graft failure rate, from 12% to 4%

5-day reduction in ICU length of stay for burn patients

$23,000 reduction in average cost per burn patient episode

Elimination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound colonization in pre-operative patients

Protocol presented at the American Burn Association Annual Meeting

Free Download

Full Case Study PDF — Regional Burn Center: Zero Surgical Site Infections in 6 Months

Formatted for sharing with your infection control committee, CNO, or CFO. Includes all metrics, protocol details, and implementation timeline.

Achieve Similar Results at Your Facility

Schedule a demo to see how Bed Shower™ can reduce HAIs, protect your staff, and improve patient outcomes.