Surgical site infections (SSIs): Risk factors and prevention strategies

Surgical site infections (SSIs) occur in about 1.5 % of Orthopaedic procedures. They are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Risk factors of SSIs have been extensively investigated. Roughly, the risk factors can be divided into: patient-related, surgical procedures -related and operating room environment-related. Patient-related factors are, for example: age, severity of illness, diabetes, obesity, mal-nutrition, smoking, and using of immunosuppressive medications. Surgical procedures-related factors are related to the preparation of the patient and surgical team before the incision, and with surgical duration and techniques. The ventilation and laminar flow in the operating room might also have a role in SSIs. Lastly, the use of peri-operative antibiotic prophylaxis will also influence the risk of having SSIs.