PREDICTORS OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION WITH RESPECT TO PATIENT SAFETY

Abstract

Background: In line with the proposal of the Safe Surgery Saves Lives program and understanding that surgical site infection is serious, complex and challenging in the field of global public health, this study is based in the knowledge of risk factors for these infections.

 Objective: To estimate the prevalence and predictors of surgical site infection in patients undergoing surgery in a university hospital in Central Brazil.

 Methods: Retrospective cohort study, analytical type, reviewing 700 medical records of patients 18 years of age or older, undergoing surgery between January 2008 and December 2010. The study used a structured questionnaire evaluated according to national guidelines. For data analysis, SPSS v.15 for Windows was used.

 Results: Of the 700 records analyzed, it was found that 39.3% of patients presented with comorbidities, and 74.5%, with ASA ≤ II, with existing infections in 11.9% of patients, 28.7% were smokers and 9% used alcohol. In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors were: carriers of chronic illness, infection far from the surgical site, and hair removed with a razor blade. The prevalence of surgical site infection in clean surgeries was 10%, of these, 51.4% related to vascular surgery.

 Conclusion: A prevalence of surgical site infection above the limits imposed by national and international guidelines was found.