WOUND INFECTION;

FREQUENCY IN CLEAN SURGICAL OPERATIONS

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of infection in clean surgical cases (General & Orthopaedic).
Study D e s i g n : A descriptive study. Place & Duration of Study: This descriptive study was conducted at department of surgery & orthopaedic
DHQ Teaching Hospital Sargodha from July 2007 to Dec, 2008. Patients & M e t h o d s : In this study 1500 clean surgical cases were included.
Wounds were examined on third post operative day and then regularly after removal of stitches. Surgical wounds were examined finally on
fifteenth post operative days. Description of wound condition and detailed data of patients were collected on preformed performas. Patients
with wound infection developed pain at operation site and fever on third post operative day. Wounds were examined for swelling, redness,
discharge; stitch abscess. Routine investigations were done as per protocol ie complete blood examination, complete urine examination, blood
sugar, C-reactive proteins etc. Wounds swab was taken for microscopy and culture sensitivity. Results: This study was carried out on fifteen
hundred clean surgical cases (General & Orthopaedic). There were 1064 males and 436 females. Male to Female ratio was 2.4:1. Infection
was detected in 110 patients (7.3%) while no infection was found in 1390. Infection was maximum in patients more than 60 yrs of age (10.9%).
Wound infection was minimum in young patients (3.5%).commonest micro organism isolated from the infected wound was staphylococcus
areus. Other organism isolated was streptococcus pyogenes, proteus and pseudomonas. No MRSA was detected. C o n c l u s i o n : In our case
study clean cases were found generally free of infection especially young patients. Whereas increased incidence of infection was noted in old
patients. Wound infection is associated with significant morbidity in the form of delayed wound heeling, prolonged hospital stay and increased
economical pressure on the patient.