title: Factors affecting the incidence of wound infection in Neurosurgery.
abstract: A prospective survey of wound infection in a continuous series of 357 patients undergoing operations at a neurosurgical unit was made. The incidence of wound infection was 4.7 percent. Causative organisms were isolated in only 29.4 percent of the clinically infected cases. The type of suture material used did not affect the infection rate and neither did the coincidental use of steroids in the high doses employed in neurosurgical practice. Re-exploration does not carry an increased risk of infection. Use of systemic or topical antibiotics or both was not found to confer any protection against wound infection.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003348:Cortisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009493:Neurosurgery; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003348:Cortisone