INTRACRANIAL INFECTION RATE;

POST OPERATIVE PREVALENCE AT CIVIL HOSPITAL KARACHI, PAKISTAN.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of post operative
intracranial infection rate, at Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective
analysis of cases of craniotomy, studying the files of patients who had the procedure done.
Setting: Neurosurgical Department at Civil Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Period: Ten years period
(2005 to 2015). Method: To determine the incidence and factors associated with infection a sub
group analysis was done in all those patients in whom the intracranial infection was caused by a
cranial surgery. Patients who were administered antibiotics for the treatment of infection were not
included also those who were treated for wound infection without intracranial involvement. Data
was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 5800 cranial surgical procedures were
performed by a team of 30 neurosurgeons and residents. And a total n= 116 (2%) procedures
were done due to post operative infection on a total of n= 70 patients. N= 37 patients were
male and n= 33 patients were female, the median age of patients was 50 years and the age
range was from 2 to 75 years. The procedures were performed as elective procedures in n=
56 (80%) patients and as an emergency case in n= 14 (20%) patients. The most common
organism was methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus, and the most surgeries who were
found to have a high incidence of post operative infection for craniotomies done for removal of
a tumor. Conclusion: The postoperative infection is one of the most important complications of
cranial surgical procedures and required immediate attention and treatment, even after taking
all the precautionary measures to ensure sterility a small number of patients still develop severe
infection needing reoperation for removal of debris and pus.