Transient liver dysfunction increases surgical site infections after coronary surgery

BackgroundSurgical site infections can have a significant impact on cardiac surgical outcome. The liver plays an important role in infection prevention. This study aimed to retrospectively determine whether transient postoperative liver dysfunction after coronary bypass surgery increased surgical site infections.MethodsA modified version of the Schindl scoring scale for liver dysfunction was adapted to objectively quantify transient liver dysfunction in the first 7 days after on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. A retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes at 30 months postoperatively was performed on data of 575 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass between 2014 and 2016. The patients were categorized into a liver dysfunction group (Schindl score ≥ 4) and a non-liver dysfunction group (Schindl score < 4).ResultsThe liver dysfunction group (47.3%) had significantly more patients who were obese, current smokers, and had diabetes, renal impairment, and peripheral vascular disease. Surgical site...