[Postoperative wound infections: essentials for the internal medicine]

Surgical site infections are the most common nosocomial infections in surgical wards. The main risk factor is the comorbidity of patients. In addition, there are many preoperative and intraoperative factors that increase the risk of surgical site infections. Appropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis, adequate preparation of the patients by cessation of smoking and reducing weight are likely to prevent postoperative infections outside the operating theatre. The WHO has issued guidelines to prevent not only infectious, but also non-infectious complications after surgery. Surveillance of surgical site infections itself with adequate feedback to the surgeons decreases the rate by approximately 30%.