title: Surgical site infection rate and associated risk factors in elective general surgery at a public sector medical university in Pakistan.
abstract: This prospective study aimed to determine the surgical site infection (SSI) rate and associated risk factors was carried in a general surgical ward at Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro. A total of 460 patients requiring elective general surgery from July 2005 to June 2006 were included in this study. All four surgical wound categories were included. Primary closure was employed in all cases. Patients were followed up to 30th day postoperatively. All cases were evaluated for postoperative fever, redness, swelling of wound margins and collection of pus. Cultures were taken from all the cases with any of the above finding. Mean +/- SD age of the patients was 38.8 +/- 17.4 years with male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The overall rate of surgical site infection was 13.0%. The rate of wound infection was 5.3% in clean operations, 12.4% in clean-contaminated, 36.3% in contaminated and 40% in dirt-infected cases. Age, use of surgical drain, duration of operation and wound class were significant risk factors for increased surgical site infection (P < 0.05). Postoperative hospital stay was double in cases who had surgical site infection. Sex, haemoglobin level and diabetes were not statistically significant risk factors (P > 0.05). In conclusion, surgical site infection causes considerable morbidity and economic burden. The routine reporting of SSI rates stratified by potential risk factors associated with increased risk of infection is highly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. ahmedsangrasi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmed Khan
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sangrasi
authors.forename: Abdul Aziz
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Leghari
authors.forename: Aisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Memon
authors.forename: Altaf K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Talpur
authors.forename: Ghulam Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Jan Mohammad
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Memon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*