What really affects surgical site infection rates in general surgery in a developing country?

SummaryAimTo assess the risk factors for surgical site infection and the effects of selected infection control measures on surgical site infection rates in a general surgery unit.MethodsSurgical site infection rates and adherence to infection control measures were observed in a general surgery unit.ResultsIn multivariate analysis, male gender, a high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, malignancy, transfusion, open surgery, and contaminated and dirty operations were found to be statistically significant risk factors for surgical site infection. Among infection control measures, only the avoidance of preoperative hair removal and a longer AMP duration had protective effects on SSI.ConclusionThe most important risk factor influencing surgical site infection in general surgery was found to be the contamination level of the wound.