Postoperative wound infection at a university hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

A prospective study was made of 1418 surgical wounds at the 250-bed King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Daily examinations of wounds, cultures of all suspicious wounds and 28 days outpatient clinic follow-up were performed. The overall infection rate was 9%. The infection rate after clean surgery was 9.5%. High rates of infections were noted after colon resection (19%), caesarean section (19%), abdominal hysterectomy (10%) and cholecystectomy (10%). The infection rates after appendectomy, mastectomy and herniorrhaphy were approximately 7%. A lower rate of infection was seen after thyroidectomy (2%). The incidence of infection was significantly related to pre-operative stay in hospital and to duration of operation.