title: Socioeconomic effects of surgical site infection after cardiac surgery in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical site infection (SSI) increases medical costs and prolongs hospitalization; however, there has been no multicenter study examining the socioeconomic effects of SSI after cardiovascular surgery in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective 1:1 matched, case-controlled study on hospital stay and health care expenditure after cardiovascular surgery was performed in four hospitals. Patients selected for the study had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve surgery between April, 2006 and March, 2008. Data were obtained for 30 pairs of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean postoperative stay for the SSI group was 49.1 days, being 3.7 times longer than that for the non-SSI group. The mean postoperative health care expenditure for the SSI group was ¥ 2,763,000 (US$27,630), being five times higher than that for the non-SSI group. Charges for drug infusion and hospitalization for inpatient care were significantly higher for the SSI group than for the non-SSI group. The increased health care expenditure was mainly attributed to the cost of antibiotics and antimicrobial agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSI after cardiovascular surgery not only prolonged the length of hospital stay, but also increased medical expenditure. Thus, the prevention of SSI after cardiovascular surgery is of great socioeconomic importance.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 5-7-1 Fujishiro-dai, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565, Japan, jkobayas@hsp.ncvc.go.jp.
authors: Junjiro
authors: J
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Shinya
authors: S
authors: Kusachi
authors: Yoshiki
authors: Y
authors: Sawa
authors: Noboru
authors: N
authors: Motomura
authors: Yutaka
authors: Y
authors: Imoto
authors: Haruo
authors: H
authors: Makuuchi
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Tanemoto
authors: Yusuke
authors: Y
authors: Shimahara
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Sumiyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000191:economics; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents