The impact of minimally invasive surgical approaches on surgical-site infections

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Surgical-site infections (SSIs) are a significant complication following surgical procedures.
• Comparing infection risks between minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and traditional open surgery is crucial for patient outcomes.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted to evaluate SSI rates in MIS versus open surgery.
• Analysis focused on identifying trends and potential biases in existing studies.

Key Points:

• The majority of reviewed studies indicated lower SSI rates in patients who underwent MIS compared to open surgery.
• Observational study designs were common, raising concerns about potential selection bias influencing reported outcomes.
• MIS demonstrates a potential benefit in reducing the incidence of surgical-site infections.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive surgery is associated with a reduced risk of surgical-site infection when compared to standard open procedures.
• The findings support the consideration of MIS as a preferred surgical approach where clinically feasible to minimize infection risk.