[Incidence of surgical site infections in the departments of orthopedics and traumatology]

Prevalence of surgical site infection after orthopaedic surgery with two types of drainage at three public hospitals in Iran

INTRODUCTION

Orthopaedic surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most important and prevalent because implanted devices are used in such surgeries which increase the risk of infection. This study aimed to examine the incidence of infection in orthopaedic surgeries and related factors in a group of public hospitals in Iran.

METHODS

This analytical cross-sectional study was condcuted in 2018. Data were collected about the incidence of infection and related factors including use/non-use of drains and well as types of drain . The presence of SSIs were determined using a researcher-devised Wound Infection Checklist (WIC) and microbial cultures.

RESULTS

Of 110 included patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries, 18.2% had an infection. The highest rate of infection was associated with lower extremity surgeries following tibia and fibula fractures. The incidence of infection among individuals under the age of 35 years was also higher. Emergency procedures demonstrated a higher incidence of infection. No significant relationship was observed between use of wound drains and development of SSIs.

CONCLUSION

Reducing the incidence of orthopaedic infection can be achieved by focusing more attention on open fractures occurring in the lower extremity. Use of surgical drains for the sole purpose of reducing the rate of infection is not effective. Accordingly, infection provention protocols should be implemented in orthopaedic surgery units to control and reduce rates of infection.

Readmissions due to traffic accidents at a general hospital

Objective:

to verify the occurrence and the causes of hospital readmissions within a year after discharge from hospitalizations due to traffic accidents.

Methods:

victims of multiple traumas due to traffic accidents were included, who were admitted to an Intensive Care Unit. Sociodemographic data, accident circumstances, body regions affected and cause of readmission were collected from the patient histories.

Results:

among the 109 victims of traffic accidents, the majority were young and adult men. Most hospitalizations due to accidents involved motorcycle drivers (56.9%). The causes of the return to the hospital were: need to continue the surgical treatment (63.2%), surgical site infection (26.3%) and fall related to the physical sequelae of the trauma (10.5%). The rehospitalization rate corresponded to 174/1,000 people/year.

Conclusion:

the hospital readmission rate in the study population is similar to the rates found in other studies. Victims of severe limb traumas need multiple surgical procedures, lengthier hospitalizations and extended rehabilitation.

Infirmity and injury complexity are risk factors for surgical-site infection after operative fracture care

BACKGROUND

Orthopaedic surgical-site infections prolong hospital stays, double rehospitalization rates, and increase healthcare costs. Additionally, patients with orthopaedic surgical-site infections (SSI) have substantially greater physical limitations and reductions in their health-related quality of life. However, the risk factors for SSI after operative fracture care are unclear.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSE

We determined the incidence and quantified modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for SSIs in patients with orthopaedic trauma undergoing surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively indentified, from our prospective trauma database and billing records, 1611 patients who underwent 1783 trauma-related procedures between 2006 and 2008. Medical records were reviewed and demographics, surgery-specific data, and whether the patients had an SSI were recorded. We determined which if any variables predicted SSI.

RESULTS

Six factors independently predicted SSI: (1) the use of a drain, OR 2.3, 95% CI (1.3-3.8); (2) number of operations OR 3.4, 95% CI (2.0-6.0); (3) diabetes, OR 2.1, 95% CI (1.2-3.8); (4) congestive heart failure (CHF), OR 2.8, 95% CI (1.3-6.5); (5) site of injury tibial shaft/plateau, OR 2.3, 95% CI (1.3-4.2); and (6) site of injury, elbow, OR 2.2, 95% CI (1.1-4.7).

CONCLUSION

The risk factors for SSIs after skeletal trauma are most strongly determined by nonmodifiable factors: patient infirmity (diabetes and heart failure) and injury complexity (site of injury, number of operations, use of a drain).

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prognostic study. See the Guideline for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Surgical site infection in patients submitted to orthopedic surgery: the NNIS risk index and risk prediction

The applicability of the risk index for surgical site infection of the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) has been evaluated for its performance in different surgeries. In some procedures, it is necessary to include other variables to predict. Objective: to evaluate the applicability of the NNIS index for prediction of surgical site infection in orthopedic surgeries and to propose an alternative index. The study involved a historical cohort of 8236 patients who had been submitted to orthopaedic surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression to fit the model. The incidence of infection was 1.41%. Prediction models were evaluated and compared to the NNIS index. The proposed model was not considered a good predictor of infection, despite moderately stratified orthopedic surgical patients in at least three of the four scores. The alternative model scored higher than the NNIS models in the prediction of infection.