Surgical site infection in emergency surgeries

Abstract

This is an epidemiologic and retrospective study that aims to analyze the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) and identify risk factors in patients undergoing urgent and emergency care in a teaching hospital in Minas Gerais from 2007 to 2009. 91 patients took part in it. Data were obtained from notification forms to the Hospital Infection Control Committee and from patients' medical records at the Medical Records Service and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that the majority were male, aging an average of 42.3 years, 16.5% were smokers, 14.3% were alcohol consumers, 63.7% presented no comorbidities, 7.7% had bronchopulmonary infection, body mass index was in average 28.5 kg/m², 93.4% did not use immunosuppressant drugs and the average number of days in hospital was 19.3. As per surgical specialties 36.3% were orthopedic surgery, 25.3% general surgery and 12.1% digestive surgery. The study revealed that 41.8% were classified as contaminated, 28.6% potentially contaminated, 26.4% clean and 3.3% were infected procedures. The research detected 35.2% medium sized surgeries, 34.1% were major surgeries and, 23.1% minor surgeries and 7.7% extra-sized. The majority of the patients (71.4%) did not use drains in the postoperative period. Antibiotic prophylaxis was adopted in 82.4% of the cases, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the prevalent microorganisms. The results shown in this study highlight the need to implement new strategies for prevention and control of SSI in this population