Surgical Site Infections in Gastrointestinal Surgeries: Estimation of Prevalence, Risk Factors and Bacteriological...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Infections
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major cause of adverse surgical outcomes.
• Understanding local infection patterns is vital for effective hospital infection control programs.
• Rising antibiotic resistance complicates SSI management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of SSIs in gastrointestinal surgery.
• To identify risk factors associated with SSI development.
• To identify the most common microorganisms causing SSIs and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

Main Methods:

• An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over two months.
• Patients undergoing elective surgery with a minimum seven-day postoperative stay were included.
• SSIs were diagnosed using modified CDC criteria; microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed.

Main Results:

• The study found an SSI rate of 24% (12 out of 50 patients).
• Identified risk factors include age, BMI, wound class, ASA score, elevated WBC count, and surgery duration.
• Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen (35.7%), with Gram-negative organisms and multidrug-resistant strains predominating. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was noted.

Conclusions:

• The SSI rate in gastrointestinal surgery is 24%.
• Prevalent multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms, including ESBL producers, pose a significant challenge.
• Understanding the sensitivity and resistance patterns is essential for developing effective antibiotic prophylaxis policies.