Postoperative wound infections after minor surgery: incidence and some associated risk factors

ABSTRACT

To determine the incidence of and some associated risk factors for surgical wound infections after minor surgery. Prospective cohort study included patients presenting for minor surgery at surgical clinics and offices, surgery departments at Al-Hussein and Bab El-Shaarria hospitals, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. The study included 428 eligible patients. Relevant data were collected from participated patients using a pre-designed questionnaire. The included patients were assessed for post-operative wound infection. Overall incidence of postoperative wound infection is calculated with its 95% confidence interval. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to calculate the risk of postoperative wound infection with the various studied factors. The overall incidence of wound infection was occurred in 37 of the studied 428 patients [8.6%; 95% CI, 3.5%-13.8%]. Excisions from thigh [Relative risk [RR] = 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-3.6], excision of lipoma [RR= 2.2; 95% CI= 1.3-3.4] or biopsy of squamous cell carcinoma [1.8; 95% CI= 1.2-2.6], and diabetes [RR= 1.8; 95% 1.4-2.2] were independent risk factors for wound infection following minor surgery carried out in surgical clinics and offices. No risk difference was observed regarding the method of wound management. Our results indicate the high-risk groups for wound infection following minor surgery, such as people with diabetes and those undergoing excision of a non-melanocytic skin cancer or excision from a lower limb. Recognition of these groups could encourage more judicial use of prophylactic antibiotics and use of other interventions, including operating in the theatre, aimed at reducing infection rates