MRSA can be resistant to antibiotics

Derriford Hospital in Plymouth has been running a pilot project to screen all people needing hip or knee procedures.

Those found harmlessly carrying it were treated to get rid of the bacteria.

Out of more than 1,000 procedures between July 2003 and December 2004 there was just one post-operative infection, a rate of less than 0.1%.

Control practices

Before the screening programme, the rate had been 0.6%

As part of the scheme, patients who undergo total knee and hip operations are kept together to recover on one ward which is MRSA-free.

Routine infection control practices, such as promoting hand-washing, have also helped cut MRSA infections among patients following implant surgery.

The pilot project and its findings were presented recently to the British Orthopaedic Association.

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon John Keenan said: "We are delighted that the hard work put into this project by the orthopaedic department staff, working closely with the Infection Control Team, has resulted in this major benefit for our patients.

"Other hospitals have expressed an interest in learning from our success."

The screening programme is to be rolled out in the next year to people admitted with fractured hips.