Risk factors for surgical site infections following open-heart surgery in a Canadian pediatric population.
BACKGROUND
The rate and risk factors for surgical site infections (SSIs) in pediatric cardiac patients have not been well delineated.


METHODS
All patients aged <18 years who had open-heart surgery at the Stollery Children's Hospital in the 1998-2002 period were followed. A case-control study was performed to examine risk factors for SSI. Controls were matched to cases according to National Nosocomial Surveillance System risk scores, age, and year of surgery.


RESULTS
SSI incidence was 3.4% (0.9% superficial wound infections, .1% deep incisional surgical site infections, and 2.4% organ space surgical site infections). In the case-control study, the only risk factor that was statistically significant was the duration of surgery. There was a trend toward an increased incidence of SSI (P < .25) for children with failure to thrive, or for those who required inotropes or had an elevated serum lactate in the first 24 hours postoperation.


CONCLUSIONS
In pediatric cardiac surgery, the risk of SSI increases with the duration of surgery. There is a need for prospective studies of potentially modifiable risk factors.
Nateghian
Alireza
A
Department of Pediatrics, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran.
Taylor
Geoffrey
G
Robinson
Joan L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors