Infection after cholecystectomy, hysterectomy or appendectomy.
OBJECTIVE
This article uses patient-linked data to focus on hospitalization with post-operative infection following cholecystectomy, hysterectomy or appendectomy. The average number of hospital days and the costs of readmission are also estimated.


METHODS
Data for surgeries in fiscal years 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/00 are from the Health Person-Oriented Information Database.


METHODS
Bivariate tabulations were used to estimate the percentage of patients hospitalized with post-operative infection after cholecystectomy, hysterectomy or appendectomy between 1997/98 and 1999/00. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between infection and patient characteristics, readmission, and peri-operative mortality, while controlling for surgical characteristics.


RESULTS
Hospitalization with post-operative infection was relatively rare, occurring in 1.4% of cholecystectomy, 2.0% of hysterectomy, and 3.8% of appendectomy patients. The associated costs of readmission for post-operative infection for the three surgeries were estimated at 5.4 to 6.3 million dollars annually. Old age, being male, surgical complexity and approach, and diabetes were associated with hospitalization involving a post-operative infection.
Rotermann
Michelle
M
Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Michelle.Rotermann@statcan.ca
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*