Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T21:28:54.342Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Risk Assessment for Surgical-Site Infections in Orthopedic Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Annette S. de Boer*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, The Netherlands
A. Joke Mintjes-de Groot
Affiliation:
National Organization for Quality Assurance in Health Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Antonius J. Severijnen
Affiliation:
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jan Maarten J. van den Berg
Affiliation:
National Organization for Quality Assurance in Health Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Wilfrid van Pelt
Affiliation:
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, The Netherlands
*
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the relative importance of risk factors for surgical-site infections (SSIs) in orthopedic patients and thereby determine which risk factors to monitor in the national surveillance of SSI in The Netherlands.

Design:

Reanalysis of data on SSI and associated risk factors from two surveillance projects on nosocomial infections, carried out in 1992 and 1993 in The Netherlands: Project Surveillance Nosocomial Infections in the region of Utrecht (PSZU) and the first Project Surveillance Surgical Wound Infections (SWIFT-1). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for age, gender, preoperative stay, and the number of operations. In addition, in PSZU, other nosocomial infections, and, in SWIFT-1, prophylactic antibiotics, acute surgery, and wound contamination were studied.

Participants:

The study was confined to hospitalized orthopedic patients (PSZU, 4,872; SWIFT-1, 6,437).

Results:

In PSZU, the following ORs were significant in a multivariate model: age 0-44 years, 1.0; 45-64 years, 1.6; 65-74 years, 4.7; and 75-99 years, 6.0. For a preoperative stay over 4 days, the OR was 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI95], 2.5-4.0), and for multiple surgery, 2.5 (CI95, 1.9-3.0). For females, the OR was 0.8 (not significant). The same model applied to SWIFT-1 gave similar ORs. Adjustment for additional nosocomial infections (PSZU) decreased the ORs for ages over 65 years remarkably. The OR for additional nosocomial infections in patients under 65 years of age was 15.6 (CI95, 4.3-57.4). Adjustment for prophylactic antibiotics, acute surgery, and wound-contamination class (SWIFT-1) did not influence the ORs of the original model, but showed that wound-contamination class was an important risk factor.

Conclusions:

Age, additional nosocomial infections, wound-contamination class, preoperative stay, and the number of operations were identified as important risk factors for SSI in Dutch orthopedic patients.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Haley, RW, Schaberg, DR, Crossley, KB, Von Allmen, SD, McGowan, JE. Extra charges and prolongation of stay attributable to nosocomial infections: a prospective interhospital comparison. Am J Med 1981;70:5157.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Coello, R, Glenister, H, Fereres, J, Bartlett, C, Leigh, D, Sedgwick, J, et al. The cost of infection in surgical patients: a case-control study. J Hosp Infect 1993;25:239250.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Mintjes-de Groot, AJ. Surveillance and Control of Hospital-Acquired Infections in The Netherlands: Ten-Year Experience in an Acute Care Hospital. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Erasmus University; 1996. Dissertation.Google Scholar
4. Haley, RW, Culver, DH, White, JW, Morgan, WM, Emori, TG, Munn, VP, et al. The efficacy of infection surveillance and control programs in preventing nosocomial infections in US hospitals. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121:182205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Kjaeldgaard, P, Cordtz, T, Sejberg, D, Kjaersgaard, E, Pagh Sillemann, M, la Cour Andersen, J, et al. The DANOP-DATA system: a low cost personal computer based program for monitoring of wound infections in surgical ward. J Hosp Infect 1989;13:273279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Olsen, MM, Lee, JT. Continuous, 10-year wound infection surveillance. Results, advantages, and unanswered questions. Arch Surg 1990;125:794803.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Moro, ML, Sommella, L, Gialla, M, Tavanti, L, Ciolli, L, Masini, R, et al. Surgical infection surveillance: results of a six-month incidence study in two Italian Hospitals. Eur J Epidemiol 1991;7:641648.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Greco, D, Moro, ML, Tozzi, AE, De Giacomi, GV, and the Italian PRINOS study group. Effectiveness of an intervention program in reducing postoperative infections. Am J Med 1991;91(suppl 3B):164S169S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Haley, RW, Culver, DH, Morgan, WM, White, JW, Emori, TG, Hooton, TM. Identifying patients at high risk of surgical site infection. A simple multivariate index of patient susceptibility and wound contamination. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121:206215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Society for Hospital Epidemiology of America, Association for Practitioners in Infection Control, Centers for Disease Control, Surgical Infection Society. Consensus paper on the surveillance of surgical wound infections. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1992;13:599605.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Pottinger, JM, Herwaldt, LA, Perl, TM. Basics of surveillance—an overview. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1997;18:513527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Severijnen, AJ, Verbrugh, HA, Mintjes-de Groot, AJ, Vandenbroucke-Grauls, CMJE, Klokman-Houweling, R, Gruteke, P, et al. Project Surveillance ziekenhuisinfecties regio Utrecht. Een studie naar de haal-baarheid van surveillance van ziekenhuisinfecties in een netwerk van registrerende ziekenhuizen. Bilthoven, The Netherlands: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment; 1995.Google Scholar
13. van den Berg, JMJ, Veerman-Brenzikofer, M. SWIFT: perspectief vanuit het CBO. De surveillance van postoperatieve wondinfecties in Nederland. Tijdschrift voor Hygiëne en Infektiepreventie 1994;5:162165.Google Scholar
14. Rothman, KJ. Modern Epidemiology. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co; 1986:302.Google Scholar
15. Derksen, S, Keselman, HJ. Backward, forward and stepwise automated subset selection algorithms: frequency of obtaining authentic and noise variables. Br J Math Stat Psychol 1992;45:265282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Hospital Infections Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) Semiannual Report, May 1995. Atlanta, GA: Department of Health and Human Services; 1995.Google Scholar
17. Mishriki, SF, Law, DJW, Jeffrey, PJ. Factors affecting the incidence of postoperative wound infection. J Hosp Infect 1990;16:223230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Boxma, H, Broekhuizen, T, Patka, P, Oosting, H. Randomised controlled trial of single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis in surgical treatment of closed fracture: the Dutch Trauma Trial. Lancet 1996;347:11331137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Kluytmans, JAJW, Mouton, JW, Maat, APWM, Manders, MAAJ, Michel, MF, Wagenvoort, JHT. Surveillance of postoperative infections in thoracic surgery. J Hosp Infect 1994;27:139147.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20. Garibaldi, RA, Cushing, D, Lerer, T. Risk factor for postoperative infection. Am J Med 1991;91(suppl 3B):158S163S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. He, G-W, Ryan, WH, Acuff, TE, Bowman, RT, Douthit, MB, Yang, C-Q, et al. Risk factors for operative mortality and sternal wound infection in bilateral internal mammary artery grafting. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1994;107:196202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Sun, G-W, Shook, TL, Kay, GL. Inappropriate use of bivariable analysis to screen risk factors for use in multivariable analysis. J Clin Epidemiol 1996;49:907916.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Claesson, BEB, Holmlund, DEW. Predictors of intraoperative bacterial contamination and postoperative infection in elective colorectal surgery. J Hosp Infect 1988;11:127135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Rotstein, C, Ferguson, R, Cummings, KM, Piedmonte, MR, Lucey, J, Banish, A. Determinants of clean surgical site infections for breast procedures at an oncology center. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1992;13:207214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Huchcroft, SA, Nicolle, LE, Cruse, PJE. Surgical site infection and cancer among the elderly: a case control study. J Surg Oncol 1990;45:250256.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26. Ronveaux, O, Mertens, R, Dupont, Y. Surgical site infection surveillance: results from the Belgian hospital network. Acta Chir Belg 1996;96:310.Google ScholarPubMed
27. Delgado-Rodrigues, M, Bueno-Cavanilla, A, López-Gigosos, R, de Dios Luna-Castillo, J, Guillén-Solvas, J, Moreno-Abril, O, et al. Hospital stay length as an effect modifier of other risk factors for nosocomial infection. Eur J Epidemiol 1990;6:3439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28. Velasco, E, Thuler, LC, Martins, CA, Dias, LM, de Conalves, VM. Risk factors for infectious complications after abdominal surgery for malignant disease. Am J Infect Control 1996;24:16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29. Barber, GR, Miransky, J, Brown, AE, Coit, DG, Lewis, FM, Thaler, HT, et al. Direct observations of surgical site infections at a comprehensive cancer center. Arch Surg 1995;130:10421047.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30. Simchen, E, Rozin, R, Wax, Y. The Israeli study of surgical site infection of drains and the risk of wound infection in operations for hernia. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1990;170:331337.Google ScholarPubMed
31. Warren, JL, Penberthy, LT, Addiss, DG, McBean, AM. Appendectomy incidental to cholecystectomy among elderly medicare beneficiaries. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1993;177:288294.Google ScholarPubMed
32. Platt, R, Zucker, JR, Zaleznik, DF, Hopkins, CC, Dellinger, EP, Karchmer, AW, et al. Prophylaxis against wound infection following herniorrhaphy or breast surgery. J Infect Dis 1992;166:5560.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33. Britt, MR, Schleupner, CJ, Matsumiya, S. Severity of underlying disease as a predictor of nosocomial infection. Utility in the control of nosocomial infection. JAMA 1978;239:10471051.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34. Slaughter, MS, Olson, MM, Lee, JT, Ward, HB. A fifteen-year wound surveillance study after coronary artery bypass. Ann Thorac Surg 1993;56:10631068.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35. Nyström, P-O, Jonstam, A, Höjer, H, Ling, L. Incisional infection after colorectal surgery in obese patients. Acta Chir Scand 1987;153:225227.Google ScholarPubMed
36. Owens, WD, Felts, JA, Spitznagel, EL Jr. ASA physical status classifications: a study of consistency of ratings. Anesthesiology 1978;49:239243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37. Everett, JE, Wahoff, DC, Statz, C, Gillingham, KJ, Gruessner, A, Gruessner, RWG, et al. Characterization and impact of wound infection after pancreas transplantation. Arch Surg 1994;129:13101316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38. Elek, SD, Conen, PE. The virulence of Staphylococcus pyogenes for man. A study of the problems of wound infection. British Journal of Experimental Pathology 1958;38:573586.Google Scholar
39. Nicholson, ML, Dennis, MJS, Makin, GS, Hopkinson, BR, Wenham, PW. Obesity as a risk factor in major reconstructive vascular surgery. Eur J Vasc Surg 1994;8:209213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
40. Choban, PS, Heckler, R, Burge, JC, Flancbaum, L. Increased incidence of nosocomial infections in obese surgical patients. Am Surg 1995;51:10011005.Google Scholar
41. Kurz, A, Sessler, DI, Lenhardt, R. Perioperative normothermia to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection and shorten hospitalization. N Engl J Med 1996;334:12091215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed