SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS IN A GENERAL SURGERY WARD

Surgical site infections are among the most common complications of inpatient admissions and have serious consequences for outcomes and costs. This prospective study aims to determine the frequency of surgical site infections in a general surgery ward of the University Hospital Centre “Mother Theresa” a tertiary care hospital in Tirana during the period 2012-2013. Data were collected on a questionnaire for all the patients who underwent surgery. Patients were followed for up to 30 days for development of surgical site infection. Of the 514 patients, 32 developed surgical site infection (16.2%). The mean age for the patients was 51.4 years. The operations were elective in 81.2% of the cases and 18.8% were urgent. Incidence of surgical site infections was significantly higher in emergency procedures (15.3%) as compared to elective procedures (3.6%). The mean duration of the operation was 2.3 hours, the mean duration of hospital stay 7.9 days. The incidence of SSI was lower in clean (1.8%), and clean contaminated (3.3%), compared to contaminated (7.6%) and dirty procedures (24.6%). Surgical site infections remain common and are a major cause of postoperative morbidity. Careful preparation of the patient and care after surgery is especially important. Inconsistent application of infection control practices may contribute to high SSI rates. A strict adherence to established surgical guidelines for preoperative care is essential for prevention of SSI.