gms | German Medical Science

50. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie (DGPW)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie e. V.

11.10.-13.10.2012, Hannover

Implant infections, economic aspects

Meeting Abstract

Search Medline for

  • M. Elff - Hannover

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie. 50. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie (DGPW). Hannover, 11.-13.10.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. Doc12dgpw11

doi: 10.3205/12dgpw11, urn:nbn:de:0183-12dgpw110

Published: December 4, 2012

© 2012 Elff.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

The use of implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, prosthetic heart valves, ventricular assist devices, vascular prostheses, orthopedical prostheses, dental and cochlear implants has developed towards a routine treatment procedure in medicine, which is reflected in the growing numbers of implants. Infections of implantable devices however, are serious and sometimes life-threatening for the patient, and very often need explantation. Despite implementing different prophylactic strategies to avoid contamination of the device, infections do occur.

Therapy and eradication of these implant infections are difficult and protracted and cause high additional costs. Based on statistical data it is believed, that for Germany up to 1 billion € in additional costs (therapy, extended hospital stay etc.) per year may be caused mainly by infections of implantable medical devices. This needs to be further evaluated. In consideration of the patient’s welfare and the related economic consequences, successful strategies must be developed to reduce the incidence of these infections.