A Risk Model for Surgical Site Infection in the Gastric Cancer Surgery Using Data of 790 Patients

Understanding risk factors of surgical site infections (SSIs) in gastrectomy is important to provide the best treatment for the patients with gastric cancer.

This is a retrospective observational study using the medical records of 790 patients with gastrectomy from 2005 through 2009. SSIs were classified into incisional SSIs (iSSIs) and organ/space SSIs (o/sSSIs).

iSSIs and o/sSSIs were detected in 41 (5.2%) patients and 68 (8.6%) patients, respectively. Open surgery was the only independent risk factor (p = 0.028) for iSSIs, while open surgery (p = 0.004), concurrent splenectomy (p < 0.001), operative time ≥220 min (p = 0.009), preoperative body mass index ≥20.8 kg/m2 (p = 0.004) and male gender (p = 0.028) were the independent risk factors for o/sSSIs. We created a risk model for o/sSSIs using these independent risk factors. The C-index model discrimination was 0.84 (p < 0.001), and the calibration of the models demonstrated a linear correlation between the predicted and observed probability.

We reported the risk factors of SSIs for gastrectomy. The risk model developed in this study for o/sSSIs pertaining to gastric cancer surgery would contribute to provide guidance for the development of best practices.