ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Risk factors of surgical site infection (SSI) have been widely studied, such as abdominal surgery, surgical time >2 h, contaminated or dirty surgery, three or more diagnoses at discharge, and ASA classification >II. METHODS: A prospective risk factor study was carried out for SSI in patients who underwent non-traumatic abdominal surgery, comparing an institutional (Secretary of Health) and a private third-level hospital during the period from October 2001 to May 2002. RESULTS: We studied 527 patients with 21 cases (3.98%) of SSI and four deaths due to this cause, 0.75% of the total population and 19% of patients with SSI. The mean age was 47.5 +/- 19.1 years, and there were 195 (37%) males and 332 (63%) females. The incidence of SSI in the private hospital was 2.1% and in the institutional hospital 5%, without statistical significance (p = 0.09). Within the infected group we found 14 superficial infections, 5 deep infections, and 2 infections in the organ or surgical field. Variables included in the models of logistic regression were smoke, blood transfusion, trichotomy, and wound type. CONCLUSIONS: Observed infection incidence was within the expected range. In our study there were no differences between facilities, and SSI incidence is similar to what has previously been reported.