Efficacy of a Modified Specimen Retrieval Bag in Reducing Epigastric Port Surgical Site Infection

Chief resident Dra. Pauline Andrea Tan in the Department of Surgery has an ongoing research entitled “Efficacy of a Modified Specimen Retrieval Bag in Reducing Epigastric Port Surgical Site Infection Among Patients Undergoing Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Single-Center Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial”. Her study aims to compare the surgical site infection rate of patients who undergo elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy using a modified specimen retrieval bag. The amount allotted for her research was Php 10,000.00.

Specimen retrieval bags are routinely used for specimen extractions during laparoscopic surgeries in most advanced countries. The purpose of these bags is mainly to contain the specimen to prevent bile or stone spillage, and theoretically, prevent surgical site infection when the specimen touches the skin during extraction. These bags however are quite costly. In less progressive countries like the Philippines, wherein healthcare is mostly out-of-pocket, we tend to prioritize the use of materials based on necessity for the procedure in accordance to the patient’s financial or economic status.