Assessing compliance with a care bundle for surgical site infection in surgery for spinal metastases

Patients undergoing palliative surgery for secondary (metastatic) spinal tumours are at high risk of developing surgical site infection (SSI).
SSI can lead to severely impaired quality of life in these patients, who are generally expected to live just six months from the time of
their operation. Preventing SSI in the first instance would increase the success rate of these procedures and lead to improved outcomes,
as well as avoiding extra costs related to increased hospital stay, re-operations and use of antibiotics associated with the treatment of
infection. The aim of this clinical audit was to assess compliance with a care bundle which was introduced at Salford Royal NHS Foundation
Trust to reduce the risk of SSI in September 2011.