Wound infections after cardiac surgery--a wound scoring system may improve early detection.
OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed at describing the early development of wound infections after cardiac surgery to identify markers for upcoming infections.


METHODS
We followed a cohort of 200 patients for 3 months after cardiac surgery to establish the incidence of all types of postoperative infections. Wound healing and C-reactive protein (CRP) were followed for the first 2 weeks.


RESULTS
A total of 175 patients out of 200 could be followed up. Using a broad definition of wound infection a total of 30% of the patients had some kind of wound infection. The diagnosis of most infections occurred after the patients had left the cardiac surgery unit (median 12 d after surgery). Our wound scoring method shows significant differences at an early stage between infected and non-infected wounds. At the time of diagnoses CRP was elevated in patients with deep sternal infection.


CONCLUSIONS
A long follow-up period is needed to establish the true incidence of infection. Wound scoring can give an early indication of wound infections and CRP can help in the diagnoses of deep infections.
Tegnell
Anders
A
Department of Health and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden. Anders.Tegnell@inf.liu.se
Arén
Claes
C
Ohman
Lena
L
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein