The Incidence and Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection: A Prospective Cohort Study

Authors

  • Lopa Patel
  • Arjun Chauhan
  • Anha Ashai
  • Surene De Fatima Basilio Corage
  • Chhayankaben Rathwa
  • Anjali Chauhan

Keywords:

Surgical site infection, orthopaedic surgery, risk factors, incidence, postoperative care, infection control

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major cause of postoperative morbidity in orthopaedic surgery, particularly in low-resource settings. Identifying risk factors associated with SSIs is critical for improving patient outcomes and guiding infection control strategies.

Objective: To determine the incidence and explore risk factors contributing to SSIs among orthopaedic patients undergoing surgery at Parul Sevashram Hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 100 patients aged ≥18 years who underwent orthopaedic surgery between July 2022 and July 2023. Data on demographic, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were collected using a structured tool. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square tests were used to determine associations between variables and SSIs.

Results: The overall incidence of SSIs was 13%. Significant demographic risk factors included age (p=0.038), education level (p=0.023), rural residence (p=0.025), and alcohol consumption (p=0.005). Preoperative factors such as trauma (p=0.001) and deformity (p=0.029) were significantly associated with SSIs. Among intraoperative factors, the surgical site (upper vs. lower limb) showed a significant association (p=0.011). Postoperative factors, including drain fluid volume (p=0.001), number of drainage days (p=0.001), and length of hospital stay (p=0.002), were also significantly associated with SSIs.

Conclusion: The study identified a relatively high incidence of SSIs and several associated risk factors in orthopaedic patients. Targeted interventions focusing on modifiable factors—particularly in the preoperative and postoperative phases—are essential to reduce infection rates and improve surgical outcomes.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Mardanpour, K., Rahbar, M., Mardanpour, S. and Mardanpour, N., 2017. Surgical site infections in orthopaedic surgery: incidence and risk factors at an Iranian teaching hospital. Clinical Trials in Orthopaedic Disorders, 2(4), p.132.

Mohammed P, A., Sharma, D., Patro, D. K., Menon, J. and Poduval, M. (2015) “A study of incidence and risk factors of Surgical site infection following orthopaedic surgical procedure in a tertiary care hospital in south India”, International Journal of Medical Research and Review, 3(9), pp. 983-989. doi: 10.17511/ijmrr.2015.i9.182.

Anwar, M., Reizian, A.E., El Kholy, A.M. et al. An Assessment Scale for Patients with Postoperative Superficial Incisional Surgical Site Infection: a Cross-Sectional Study. Indian J Surg 80, 259–268 (2018).

Zabaglo M, Sharman T. Postoperative Wound Infection. [Updated 2022 Sep 19]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

Evans, R. P. (2009). Surgical Site Infection Prevention and Control: An Emerging Paradigm. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery-American Volume, 91(Suppl 6), 2–9.

Amaradeep, G., Prakah, S., & Manjappa, C.N. (2017). Surgical site infections in orthopaedic implant surgery and its risk factors: A prospective study in teaching hospital. International Journal of Orthopaedics Sciences, 3(3), 169-72.

Mohammed, P. A., Sharma, D., Patro, D. K., Menon, J., & Poduval, M. (2015). A study of incidence and risk factors of Surgical site infection following orthopaedic surgical procedure in a tertiary care hospital in south India. IJMRR, 3(9), 983-989.

Najjar, Y. W., et al. (2018). Risk factors of orthopaedic surgical site infection in Jordan: A prospective cohort study. International Journal of Surgery Open, 15, 1–6.

Maksimović, J., et al. (2008). Surgical Site Infections in Orthopaedic Patients: Prospective Cohort Study. Croatian Medical Journal, 49(1), 58–65.

Greene, L. R. (2012). Guide to the elimination of orthopaedic surgery surgical site infections. American Journal of Infection Control, 40(4), 384–386.

Downloads

Published

2025-05-14

How to Cite

1.
Patel L, Chauhan A, Ashai A, Basilio Corage SDF, Rathwa C, Chauhan A. The Incidence and Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025 May 14 [cited 2026 Apr. 25];14(23S):754-9. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/5803

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 23S (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.