[Management of postoperative infections in urologic surgery]

The incidence of surgical site infections (SSI) in urological surgery is highly variable. The latest report of the "Institut de veille sanitaire" (InVS) found an incidence of SSI of 3% but in some specific clinical situations, rates close to 20% are sometimes observed. The aim of this publication is to provide urology nurses with a summary of the management of the main postoperative infections that can be encountered in urological surgery.

The main infectious pathologies likely to be encountered after urology have been classified in 4 chapters by repeating the formulations used by InVS by adding the specificities related to urological surgery. The management of the pathologies described is based on current French and European guidelines.

The importance for urology nurses to know how to recognize a potentially lethal SSI is here to remind, especially with the need to master the use of the "quick SOFA" score. The SSI in urology were then grouped as follows: postoperative urinary tract infection, superficial wound infection, deep wound infection, organ infection and material's infection.

While urinary tract infections are potentially the most serious and sometimes fatal, superficial or deep infections can be a source of prolonged hospitalization with repercussions on postoperative rehabilitation of patients. Nurses must therefore be fully trained to recognize them because they are often in the front line in case of occurrence of a SSI.