Background
The rate and risk factors for surgical site infections (SSIs) in pediatric cardiac
patients have not been well delineated.
Methods
All patients aged <18 years who had open-heart surgery at the Stollery Children's
Hospital in the 1998–2002 period were followed. A case-control study was performed
to examine risk factors for SSI. Controls were matched to cases according to National
Nosocomial Surveillance System risk scores, age, and year of surgery.
Results
SSI incidence was 3.4% (0.9% superficial wound infections, .1% deep incisional surgical
site infections, and 2.4% organ space surgical site infections). In the case-control
study, the only risk factor that was statistically significant was the duration of
surgery. There was a trend toward an increased incidence of SSI (P < .25) for children with failure to thrive, or for those who required inotropes or
had an elevated serum lactate in the first 24 hours postoperation.
Conclusion
In pediatric cardiac surgery, the risk of SSI increases with the duration of surgery.
There is a need for prospective studies of potentially modifiable risk factors.
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Article info
Publication history
Tehran, Iran, and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
