[Infection of the surgical site. Experience of two years in the gynecology and obstetric service of Mexican General Hospital]. / Infección del sitio quirúrgico. Experiencia de dos años en el servicio de ginecología y obstetricia del Hospital General de México.

OBJECTIVE: To know the incidence and causal agents of the surgical site infection at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service of the Hospital General de Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective, descriptive and analytical study was performed on patients with surgical site infection at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service of the Hospital General de Mexico during January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2001. RESULTS: A global low rate of surgical site infection was observed, with predominance on the third life decade patients and on obstetrics events (69.5%). The initial treatment consisting of 600 mg intravenous clindamycin every eight hours and 500 mg intravenous amikacin every 12 hours showed high efficacy. The mean time of hospital stay was nine days; 97% of the discharges were due to improvement, with a minimum rate of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The index of surgical site infections for gynecological and obstetric procedures is lower than the accepted percentage, but it is more frequent in patients submitted to total abdominal hysterectomy.