Pediatric SSIs after ambulatory surgery

Editor's Note

This study led by researchers at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, New York, finds that morbidity is also associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) after ambulatory surgery in children.

Of 65,056 patients analyzed and 13, 795 chart reviews, 45 SSIs were identified after pediatric ambulatory surgery.

The weighted SSI incidence was 2.00 SSIs per 1,000 ambulatory surgeries, and integumentary surgeries had the highest incidence at 3.24 SSIs per 1,000.

The following variables were linked to significantly increased odds of infection:

• clean contaminated or contaminated wound class vs clean (odds ratio [OR], 9.8)
• other insurance type vs private (OR, 4.0)
• surgery on weekend vs weekday (OR, 30).

Of the 45 incidences of SSIs, 40% of patients were admitted to the hospital, and 36% required a new surgery or bedside incision and drainage.

It has been known that inpatient SSIs cause morbidity in children, however, the SSI rate in pediatric ambulatory surgery patients had been less clear. The findings from this study fill that gap and also identify possible targets for intervention, the authors say.