title: Nosocomial abscess. Results of an eight-year prospective study of 32,284 operations.
abstract: This article details the results of 114 abscesses found after 32,284 operations during a 30-day prospective infection surveillance. Abscesses occurred more often after gastric/esophageal (3.6%), colonic/appendiceal (2.8%), and pancreatic/biliary (1.5%) operations. Abscesses were intra-abdominal (58%), pelvic/perineal (31%), and retroperitoneal (3%). The most common pathogens were Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Bacteroides organisms. Abscess symptoms appeared 10 +/- 6 days (mean +/- SEM) after surgery and were drained 8 +/- 8 days after onset of symptoms. Hospital stay from onset of symptoms to discharge was four times greater than that for wound infection. Twenty-seven patients (28%) died. Mortality was increased in patients older than 50 years and in those with renal failure or multiple abscesses. Nosocomial abscesses had a greater morbidity than would infection. Excessive expense and high mortality warrant infection surveillance for both wound infection and ongoing nosocomial abscesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies