[Wound infection in pediatric surgery]

Abstract

During the five-year period 1977-1982, 97 (3,37%) out of 2,898 pediatric surgical wounds became infected, 23 out of 2,140 (1,07%) corresponded to "clean" wounds, 18/475 (3,8%) belonged to the "clean-contaminated", 14/91 (15,4%) to the "contaminated" and 42/192 (21,8%) to the "dirty" groups. These rates were somewhat lower than those found in similar studies carried out in adults. The bacteriologic studies revealed that the source of infection of "clean" wounds was exogenous and almost exclusively due to --Staphylococci, whereas that of most of the remaining wounds was the patient's own enteric flora, with aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and very constant presence of E. coli and B. fragilis. Our antibiotic policies were guided by this evidence. In spite of the lack of mortality related to this minor complication, the risk and uncomfort incurred by the patients aside with the higher cost of hospital stay justify every effort to prevent this complication.