Medical Reports: Fight Infection

WSVN -- Swapna Reddy and her husband are less than an hour away from one of the biggest events of their lives.

Swapna Reddy: "I'm very ready. I'm extremely ready."

She's about to give birth to her second child and can't wait for her little one to arrive.

Swapna Reddy: "I'm extremely tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of being this big."

Swapna is delivering her baby by C-section, something that puts her at risk for getting a deadly infection. Each year, 500,000 people get a surgical site infection or SSI.

Dr. Jacques Moritz, Director of Gynecology: "A C-section is usually done at the worst possible time. The woman has been in labor, the vaginal bacteria have kind of gone up inside where we need to operate."

During surgery, bacteria can be transferred into the body from fluids, gloves, instruments, sponges or implants, but now doctors are using a breakthrough treatment to stop infections it's a new microbial sealant, which locks down bacteria on the skin.

Voice of Jacques Moritz: "This sealant is basically crazy glue. Basically, it acts as a glue and it seals the bacteria into the skin."

Before surgeons make the C-section incision, they put the sealant on the skin. Doctors say it stops MRSA and E.coli.

Jacques Moritz: "We seal in the bacteria on the skin so they don't move, so basically they don't crawl over to where we made the surgical incision."

Swapna is one of the first to use the sealant. So far, there's no sign of infection for mom so she can concentrate on keeping her family happy and healthy.

Diana Diaz: "The sealant is approved for C-sections and naturally wears off within a couple of days."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
 

Elizabeth Dowling
Public Relations
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital
EDowling@chpnet.org