Open fractures and the incidence of infection in the surgical debridement 6 hours after trauma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a time delay greater than 6h from injury to surgical debridement influences the infection rate in open fractures.


METHODS
During a period of 18 months, from October 2010 to March 2012, 151 open fractures were available for study in 142 patients in our hospital. The data were collected prospectively and the patients were followed up for 6 weeks. The patients were divided into two groups regarding the time delay from injury to surgical debridement (more or less than 6 hours).


RESULTS
Surgical debridement was carried out in less than 6h from injury in 90 (59.6%) fractures and after 6 hours from injury in 61 (40.4%) fractures. Infection rates were 12.22% and 13.24%, respectively. The global infection rate was 13.24%.


CONCLUSIONS
A significantly increased infection rate was not observed in patients whose surgical debridement occurred more than 6h after injury. However, in the fractures of high-energy trauma, a statistically significant increase of the rate of infection was observed in those operated 6 hours after trauma. Level of Evidence II, Study Type Comparative and Prospective.
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Miguel de Castro
Mde C
Fernandes
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Luciano Rodrigo
LR
Peres
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Aristóteles Correia
AC
de Queiroz
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
José Queiroz
JQ
Lima
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Flávio Moral
FM
Turíbio
Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina (CSSM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Marcelo Hide
MH
Matsumoto
Debridement; Fractures, open; Infection