Background and aim: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are defined as infections occurring up to 30 days after surgery (or up to one year after surgery in patients receiving implants) and affecting either the incision or deep tissue at the operation site. Multiple risk factors for SSI have been identified and can be compiled within three major determinants of SSI: bacterial factors, local wound factors, and patient factors.
This study aims to determine the incidence, associated risk factors, and type of pathogen causing surgical site infection following an emergency Laparotomy in a Tertiary Care Centre.
Methods: This study was done on 250 patients undergoing emergency laparotomies in the Department of Surgery at Dr.Susheela Tiwari Hospital from January 2021 to September 2022.
A questionnaire was used to obtain biodata, comorbidities, operative procedure and operative duration, wound classification, ASA score, and perioperative transfusion. A personal history was collected, including information on diet, alcoholism, smoking, and any prior abdominal surgery. Culture and sensitivity testing were done on infected wounds.
Results: SSI was clinically diagnosed in 141 patients, giving an incidence rate of 56.4%. 100 (70.9%) were superficial SSI, while 41 (29.1%) were deep SSI. Identifiable risk factors include clean-contaminated and dirty wounds, male sex, increased age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, anemia, and a duration of surgery > 2 hours. The most common organism isolated was a methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococcus.
Conclusions: Our goal should be to lower the rate of SSI, and in order to do this, effective actions should be taken to monitor wound infection properly, identify its causes, and study them routinely.
Key words: Surgical site infection, risk factors, incidence, antibiotics, sensitivity
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