[Incidence of surgical site infection in ambulatory surgery: results of the INCISCO surveillance network in 1999-2000]

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the incidence of surgical-site infections (SSI) in ambulatory surgery and to identify risk factors based on the surveillance network INCISO in 1999-2000.

Patients and methods: Annually, during a three-month period, each surgical ward had to include 200 consecutive operations. Patients were surveyed over the month following surgery. For each patient, data including peri-operative factors, type of procedure and SSI occurrence were collected on a standardized form by a surgical staff committed for the study.

Results: Of the 5,183 patients who underwent an ambulatory surgery, the SSI incidence ratio was 0.4% (95% CI [0.3-0.7]). Orthopedic, gynecologic/obstetrics, head and neck, skin and soft tissues surgery accounted for 83% of all ambulatory procedures. 93% of patients belonged to the 0 risk category of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system (NNIS) index. Emergency, age, american anesthesia risk score (ASA), Altemeier wound class, and procedure duration were not found to be risk factors for SSI in ambulatory surgery.

Conclusion: Based on these surveillance data, infectious risk was low in ambulatory surgery and was not associated with known SSI risk factors.