Clinical Information

SSIs are the third most commonly reported type of healthcare-acquired infection and the most costly¹. They place a significant impact on patient welfare² as well as presenting a heavy financial burden for the NHS.³

Leukomed^® Sorbact^® is an innovative post-operative film dressing with a purely physical mode of action, used to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) in closed surgical wounds. Following rigorous assessment by leading clinical and health economic experts during the NICE Medical Technology appraisal process it is proposed that Leukomed Sorbact should be considered as an option for preventing surgical site infection (SSI) in wounds with low to moderate exudate after caesarean section and vascular surgery. It should be used as part of usual measures to help reduce the risk of surgical site infection*.

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Potential cost savings of up to £6.5 million for the NHS

Cost modelling shows that the reduced rate of surgical site infection with Leukomed Sorbact compared with standard surgical dressings leads to savings of:

£107 per person after caesarean section
£18 per person after vascular surgery

By adopting this technology, the NHS may save up to £5.3 million per year for caesarean section and up to £1.2 million per year for vascular surgery.

Cost savings are anticipated as Leukomed Sorbact is expected to reduce re-admissions and shorten the length of stay in hospital. For more details see the NICE resource impact report*.

With SSI, the cost is more than financial

SSIs after caesarean section can keep new mums in hospital longer, missing all-important days at home with their new family. 21% of vascular patients with an SSI are readmitted to hospital.⁵

Reducing SSI rates can reduce readmissions, antibiotic use, offer cost savings and benefit patient quality of life.⁴

For more information on Leukomed Sorbact and the support available, please contact us here.

*^© NICE 2021 Leukomed Sorbact for preventing surgical site infection.
Available from www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg55. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights.
NICE guidance is prepared for the National Health Service in England. All NICE guidance is subject to regular review and may be updated or withdrawn. NICE accepts no responsibility for the use of its content in this product/publication.

Medical references

¹ Wounds UK (2020) Best Practice Statement: Post-operative wound care – reducing the risk of surgical site infection. Wounds UK, LondonCcc
² Taylor L, Mills E, George S, Seckam A (2020) Reducing SSI rates for women birthing by caesarean section. J Community Nurs 34(3): 50–3
³ Jenks PJ, Laurent M, McQuarry S, Watkins R. Clinical and economic burden of surgical site infection (SSI) and predicted financial consequences of elimination of SSI from an English hospital. J Hosp Infect 2014; 86(1):24–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2013.09.012
⁴ NICE Resource impact report: Leukomed Sorbact for preventing surgical site infection (MTG55) (2021). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg55/resources/resource-impact-report-pdf-9011234413
⁵ Totty JP, Moss JWE, Barker E, et al. (2020) The impact of surgical site infection on hospitalisation, treatment costs, and health related quality of life after vascular surgery. Int Wound J. 2020;1–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.