Suction Drain Tip Cultures and Predictors of Surgical Site Infections in Hip Fractures

Suction drain tips, used routinely in major orthopaedic surgeries, are in close contact with the bone and implants, and are considered to be the ideal swab for detection of microbes in the wound during early postoperative period. We studied 156 subjects with hip fractures who had undergone surgical treatment and evaluated the pattern of microbial growth in the suction drain tip cultures. Risk factors for predicting the wound site infection were also analyzed. Statistically significant association was observed between suction tip culture positivity and wound infections. All co morbidities and diabetes mellitus as an independent variable were found to be associated with positive cultures. Though culture was less sensitive (57.1 %) in predicting infection, With a specificity of 92.6 % and negative predictive value of 97.9 %, it can be used as an early predictor for close observation and follow up.