[Postoperative wound infections. IV. Flora and clinical course of postoperative wound infection]

Each wound infection may be coursed in few clinical manifestations and may concern either skin with subcutaneous tissue (superficial infection) or deeper layers-fascias, muscles (deep infection). The aim of this study was to evaluate the form of infection and its clinical course, and moreover, to find the specific flora of infected wounds. The material was 1527 surgically treated patients in the 3rd Surgical Department of the Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University during one year. 66 patients with wounds of the head and 7 patients who died within first three days after surgery without wound infection signs were excluded from the study population. The healing of each wound was observed during the patient's hospitalisation and 30 days after discharge from hospital, and in orthopedic patients 6 months after discharge. The total number of 132 infected wounds was identified. The population of 1352 wounds healed without any complications was a control group. All the data were recorded in a Wound Infection Register Card and were collected in the computer database. The data were statistically analysed. Relationships between single factors and postoperative wound infection were evaluated using chi-square statistics and in the small number Fisher's exact probability test. Analysis of variance was used for continuous variables. Odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed for all variables. Postoperative wound infection was found in 132 (8.9%) cases, including 76 (57.6%) in males and 56 (42.4%) in females. The average age was 50.9 years. The period of hospitalisation ranged from 3 to 119 days, with the mean of 31.9 days in comparison to 16.3 days in the control group.