A Prospective Analysis of Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit Infections - A Tertiary Center Study

Nosocomial infections are the most important cause of mortality and morbidity of the intensive care units (ICUs). In this study, we evaluated that developed infections in neurosurgery care unit.

Twenty-seven cases with the diagnosis of nosocomial infection out of 132 patients followed up in the neurosurgical ICUs of our center between October 2022 and September 2024 were prospectively evaluated.

In our center, infection rate was 20.45%. Pneumonia was the most frequently seen type of infection followed by urinary tract infection. Most frequently Staphylococcus aureus (32.15%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (24.52%) were detected. Overall mortality rate of the patients who became infected was 22.7%. However, mortality rate of the patients without infection was 6.6%. In 14 patients more than one episode of infection developed which resulted in death of 12 (85.7%) cases.

During monitorization in the ICU, one of the important factors which effect morbidity and mortality is nosocomial infections. In order to be able to prevent infections, routine surveillance studies should be performed and infection control measures should be evolved.