Analysis of the risk factors for wound infection after surgical treatment of colorectal cancer: a matched case control study.
OBJECTIVE
The present study, with a matched case-control study design, was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of high-pressure washing for preventing postoperative wound infection by comparing the outcomes in cases in which the high-pressure washing was performed with those in which the procedure was not adopted.


METHODS
A total of 100 of the above-mentioned 264 patients were selected for this study and divided into two groups (the high- pressure washing group (n=50) and the non-high pressure washing group (n=50)) in such as manner as to obtain good matching of the following 6 parameters between the two groups.


RESULTS
Postoperative wound infection was noted in 11% of all cases (11/100). Univariate analysis revealed that postoperative wound infection was significantly more frequent in cases where the tumor site was the rectum (p = 0.011), the surgical approach was open abdominal surgery (p = 0.032) and high- pressure washing of the wound was not adopted (p = 0.021).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that in order to prevent wound infection after surgery for colorectal cancer, it is advisable to select, as far as possible, the laparoscopic surgical approach and to undertake high- pressure washing of the wound immediately before closure of the abdomen.
Nakamura
Takatoshi
T
Department of Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 228-8555, Japan.
Onozato
Wataru
W
Mitomi
Hiroyuki
H
Sato
Takeo
T
Hatate
Kazuhiko
K
Naioto
Masanori
M
Ihara
Atsushi
A
Watanabe
Masahiko
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*