title: Inpatient and post-discharge wound infections in general surgery.
abstract: The wound infection incidence during inpatient stay was compared with the post-discharge infection incidence for 1 month using audit data and a patient questionnaire. The true infection rate was found to be 20% compared with an apparent rate of 2.4% (P < 0.001). The study highlights the problems of postoperative monitoring in the context of shorter inpatient stays and fewer routine outpatient appointments.
authors.affiliation: Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, Essex.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Keeling
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008485:Medical Audit; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires