Factors responsible for surgical site infections following emergency nontraumatic abdominal operations

Abstract

Abdominal surgeries are among those operations that are most commonly associated with increased levels of surgical site infection (SSI). The various causes of SSIs are important to know in order to reduce their occurrence. Objective: In order to establish the host and environmental factors contributing to SSIs in the setting of emergency non-traumatic abdominal operations. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, on 140 patients who were undergoing emergency non-traumatic abdominal operations during the period from August 2009 to July 2010. Registration information of these patients, details of operation, and patient’s data after operation were obtained. Swabs from the wound discharge were inoculated to determine which organisms are likely to have caused the infection and their sensitivity to antibiotics were determined. Results: The overall SSI rate was 17.14%. SSI rates were higher in patients with co-morbidities (40.48% vs 7.14%, p 2 hours vs 4.6% for < 1 hour, p