Changing wound care protocols to reduce postoperative caesarean section infection and readmission

Due to concern centring on the caesarean section wound infection rate being higher than the national average, a project was undertaken at the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust to reduce overall infection and readmission rates in this patient group. Changes in practice included wound care education for midwives, a change in the standard postoperative dressing, and the introduction of a new portable negative pressure system for incision management for patients with a high body mass index (BMI). Following the implementation of these measures, the infection rate dropped from 12% to 6%; in the highest risk group there were no infections or readmissions.