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Surgical Site Infections

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Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery

Abstract

Infections of surgical incisions are a common complication of surgery, occurring in about 3 % of all surgical procedures and in up to 20 % of patients who undergo emergency intra-abdominal operations [1]. In 1992, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the terminology from wound infection to surgical site infection (SSI) to differentiate infections of surgical incisions from infections of traumatic wounds [2]. Surgical site infections can cause substantial morbidity to patients by failure of incisions to heal, incisional hernias, fistulae, recurrent pain, and disfiguring scars; additionally, SSIs may bring about further infectious complications such as bacteremia. This morbidity also creates a substantial financial burden to hospitals and patients [3]. The development of SSIs is also used increasingly as a performance measure in recent government and insurance “pay for performance” initiatives, such that surgeons and hospitals with higher rates of SSI will be receiving lower reimbursements. For all of these reasons, surgeons must be aware of all measures to prevent and treat SSI effectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 East 68 Street, P713A, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Vanessa P. Ho M.D., M.P.H., Soumitra R. Eachempati M.D. & Philip S. Barie M.D., M.B.A.

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  1. Vanessa P. Ho M.D., M.P.H.
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  2. Soumitra R. Eachempati M.D.
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  3. Philip S. Barie M.D., M.B.A.
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Correspondence to Vanessa P. Ho M.D., M.P.H. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science Center, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 4.292, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Laura J. Moore

  2. The Methodist Hospital, Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, 6550 Fannin St, SM 1661A, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Krista L. Turner

  3. School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, New York University, 550 First Avenue, New Bellevue 15 East 9, New York, 10016, New York, USA

    S. Rob Todd

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Ho, V.P., Eachempati, S.R., Barie, P.S. (2013). Surgical Site Infections. In: Moore, L., Turner, K., Todd, S. (eds) Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6123-4_11

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