Surgical site infections: epidemiology and prevention.
BACKGROUND
The overall incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) has been estimated to be 2.8% in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although the data may underrepresent the true incidence of such infections owing to inherent problems with voluntary self-reporting by surgeons of infections that occur in the ambulatory surgical setting. This review analyzes the reasons why patients are at risk and what can be done to minimize the risk.


METHODS
Review of the pertinent English-language literature.


RESULTS
Factors that contribute to the development of SSI include those that arise from the patient's health status, those that relate to the physical environment where surgical care is provided, and those that result from clinical interventions that increase the patient's inherent risk. Careful patient selection and preparation, including the judicious use of antibiotic prophylaxis, can decrease the overall risk of infection, especially following clean-contaminated and contaminated operations. However, antibiotics are not a substitute for attention to detail and meticulous surgical technique, and can increase the risk of nosocomial infection following injudicious use (that is, overuse).


CONCLUSIONS
Most SSIs can be attributed to risk factors inherent to the patient, rather than to inherently flawed surgical care. Nonetheless, the surgeon can minimize the risk to the patient through careful patient selection and preparation, attention to technical details and awareness of the operating room environment, and the selective use of short-duration, narrow-spectrum antibiotic prophylaxis for appropriate patients.
Barie
Philip S
PS
Division of Critical Care and Trauma, Weill Medical College of Comell University, Ann and Max A Cohen Surgical Intensive Care Unit, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York 10021, USA. pbarie@med.cornell.edu
D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology