title: Wound infection in pediatric surgery: a study in 1,094 neonates.
abstract: In an analysis of 1,433 wounds created in 1,094 neonates admitted to a regional neonatal surgical unit during the period April 1975 to December 1987, the mean incidence of infection was 16.6%. During this time there was an increase in the incidence of infection from 12.5% in the first 6 years to 18.8% in the last 7 years (P < .01). Contaminated wounds had an infection rate of 20.7%, whereas the rate in clean wounds was 11.1% (P < .001). Gestational age and birth weight had no influence on the incidence of wound infection. Increasing wound length (P < .001), increasing duration of operation (P < .001), and contamination at operation (P < .001) were all associated with a higher incidence of infection. Staphylococcal species were the most frequently isolated organisms from all categories of infected wounds (clean, potential, and actual contamination).
authors.affiliation: Regional Neonatal Surgical Unit, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, England.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Doig
mesh_terms: D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors