Surgical Wound Infection Rates and Risk Factors in Spinal Fusion in a University Teaching Hospital in Madrid, Spain

• Published in: Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 2017-05, Vol.42 (10), p.748-754
• Main Authors: Hijas-Gómez, Ana I., Egea-Gámez, Rosa M., Martínez-Martín, Javier, González-Díaz, Rafael, Losada-Viñas, José I., Rodríguez-Caravaca, Gil
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Female; Hospitals, Teaching - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals, University - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Risk Factors; Spain; Spinal Fusion - adverse effects; Surgical Wound Infection - epidemiology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0362-2436; 1528-1159
• DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000001916

STUDY DESIGN.Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE.To study risk factors linked to spinal fusion surgical wound infection (SWI) incidence and compare the incidence to rates in Madrid Region, Spain and USA as a whole. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.Surgical wound infection (SWI) is one of the complications posed by spinal surgery. Indeed, spinal surgery has a higher infection rate than do other orthopaedic surgeries such as total hip or knee arthroplasty. The study of risk factors that are susceptible to be modified will enable both the incidence of SWI and, by extension, related morbidity, mortality and costs to be reduced. METHODS.All patients undergoing spinal fusion at a tertiary hospital from June 2011 to June 2014 were included. Infection rate was calculated, and the association between risk factors and SWI incidence was assessed by reference to Odds Ratio (OR) with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS.The study population (n = 892) had a SWI rate of 3.9%. The standardised infection ratio of our hospital was 0.58 with respect to the Madrid Region, 0.76 with respect to Spainʼs national rate and 2.05 with respect to the US NHSN/CDC. The multivariate analysis showed that predictive factors of SWI were diabetes mellitus (OR 2.81, 95%CI1.18–6.72, p