Cultura

Breaking the Chain of Infection: Essential Infection Control Practices for All Healthcare Professionals

VOLUME 23, 2026

The Role of Targeted Infra-popliteal Endovascular Angioplasty to Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers Using the Angiosome Model: A Systematic Review

VOLUME 6, 2023

Nawal Ahdal shubayr
Nursing senior specialist in adult critical care, Prince sultan military medical city
Shahad Mansour Altuaimi
Critical Care Nurse Specialist, Ministry of Defense
Tareq Mohammed Albandar
Nursing, Prince sultan military medical city

Abstract

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a fundamental component of healthcare quality and patient safety, aiming to minimize the transmission of infectious agents and reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This review examines essential infection control practices and emphasizes the importance of breaking the chain of infection through coordinated, evidence-based interventions. It explores the six components of the chain of infection, including infectious agents, reservoirs, portals of exit, modes of transmission, portals of entry, and susceptible hosts. Particular attention is given to standard precautions, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, respiratory hygiene, aseptic techniques, environmental cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization. The review also highlights transmission-based precautions and preventive strategies for device-associated infections, surgical site infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Furthermore, it discusses the growing challenges of antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious diseases, and the importance of antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance systems, and continuous professional education. The findings discussed in the literature emphasize that effective infection prevention requires multidisciplinary collaboration, institutional commitment, adequate resources, and consistent adherence to established guidelines. Strengthening infection control practices and promoting a sustainable culture of safety are essential for protecting healthcare professionals, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing healthcare system resilience.

 

Keywords : Infection Prevention and Control, Chain of Infection, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Hand Hygiene, Standard Precautions, Personal Protective Equipment, Antimicrobial Resistance, Patient Safety.
Erin Saricilar
Lecture in accounting. University of Basrah, College of Administration and Economics, Department of Accounting.

Abstract

Atherosclerotic disease significantly impacts patients with type 2 diabetes, who often present with recalcitrant peripheral ulcers. The angiosome model of the foot presents an opportunity to perform direct angiosome-targeted endovascular interventions to maximise both wound healing and limb salvage. A systematic review was performed, with 17 studies included in the final review. Below-the-knee endovascular interventions present significant technical challenges, with technical success depending on the length of lesion being treated and the number of angiosomes that require treatment. Wound healing was significantly improved with direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty, as was limb salvage, with a significant increase in survival without major amputation. Indirect angioplasty, where the intervention is applied to collateral vessels to the angiosomes, yielded similar results to direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty. Applying the angiosome model of the foot in direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty improves outcomes for patients with recalcitrant diabetic foot ulcers in terms of primary wound healing, mean time for complete wound healing and major amputation-free survival.
Keywords : Diabetic foot ulcer, angiosome, angioplasty