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About TREASURE
Wound Infections After Surgery
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A surgical site infection (SSI), or wound infection, is an infection that develops in the wound site following surgery. Around 5% of patients will develop an SSI.
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Many patients with a wound infection will have to stay in hospital longer and are more likely to be re-admitted. Depending on the severity of the infection, they can be treated with wound cleaning or antibiotics, with the most severe infections requiring further surgery. Patients find these infections distressing and it may be months or even years before they heal completely.
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Most wound infections develop after patients have been discharged home from hospital after surgery. If wound infections are caught early, then they can be treated before the problem worsens and becomes harder to treat.
Wound Care at Home
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After surgery, almost one in ten patients develop a problem with their wound at home such as an infection or the wound reopening. These problems can lead to wounds taking longer to heal, patients being readmitted to hospital, further surgery, increased costs for the NHS and reduced patient quality of life.
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Ideally, problem wounds should be swabbed to identify any bacteria causing infection, which helps inform appropriate treatment. However, challenges accessing in-person GP appointments mean wounds are not always swabbed. This can lead to delays or inappropriate antibiotic treatment, potentially worsening outcomes and contributing to antibiotic resistance.
The TREASURE Project
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TREASURE is a research study exploring how patients can safely and effectively swab their own surgical wounds at home. We're assessing whether self-swabbing is acceptable, easy to do, and whether it can be built into everyday NHS care. Our goal is to reduce unnecessary clinic visits, detect infections earlier, and empower patients to be active partners in their recovery.
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The study has two stages:​
First, we are working with patients and public contributors to co-design a self-swabbing kit and easy-to-follow instructions.
Next, we will invite 40 patients to use the kit at home and share their experiences. We'll explore how well the kit works, how acceptable and safe it is, and whether it could be used more widely in the NHS.
Funding
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TREASURE is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit funding stream (project reference NIHR207935). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Sponsorship​
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Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust​