Surgical Site Infections (SSI)
Surgical site infections occur when harmful germs enter a patient’s body through the surgical site (any cut the surgeon makes in the skin to perform the operation). Infections happen because germs are everywhere – on the skin, in the air and on things individuals touch. Most infections are caused by germs found on and in a patient’s body.
One of the ways to prevent surgical site infections is by giving patients antibiotics 0 to 60 minutes (for usual antibiotics) or 0 to 120 minutes (for an antibiotic known as vancomycin) before they go into surgery.
Public reporting of surgical site infection (SSI) prevention for hip and knee joint replacement surgeries in Ontario hospitals is now available on this website. The reporting applies only to patients who are 18 years or older who are about to undergo primary hip or knee joint replacement surgery, including total, partial or hemi arthroplasty.
Hospitals will post the percentage of hip/knee joint replacement surgical patients who received antibiotics within the appropriate time period before the surgery on their website every three months (quarterly), and will also report their data to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
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