Bacteriology of Surgical Site Infections after Colorectal surgeries

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) is the infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, organs or spaces exposed by surgeons during the performance of an invasive procedure. Appropriate antimicrobial therapy is mandatory not only to improve the prognosis of patients with SSIs but also to minimize the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant organisms. To use antibiotics appropriately, especially before the availability of culture sensitivity reports, information on the prevalent microbial flora isolated from SSIs is of particular value. The purpose of this study was to study the bacteriological spectrum of SSIs in colorectal surgical patients. This 2-year prospective study of 272 patients was conducted in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at a tertiary care hospital in Kashmir. Postoperatively surgical site infected cases were identified using CDC, USA definition for SSI. After discharge from hospital, patients were followed for up to 30 days to check any signs of SSI. If there were no signs of SSI within 30 days of operation, the patient was regarded as having no SSI. After identifying a patient with SSI, puss culture swabs were sent to the microbiology laboratory of the institute. After collecting the reports of swab culture, data was analyzed statistically and inferences were drawn from there. Out of 272 patients, 36 patients developed SSI that is the SSI rate in our series was 13.2%. Incisional SSIs comprised about 89% while as organ/space infections comprise only about 11% of total SSIs in this study. Out of 36 SSI patients, only 24 had positive swab/puss culture reports that are swab/puss culture positivity rate was 66.67%. The most common organism found was Staph aureus followed by E.coli. Gram positive organisms out-numbered the gram negative ones in our study of SSI in colorectal patients. Swab/puss culture positivity rate in our study is 66.67%. The most common organism found in SSI after colorectal surgery is Staphylococus aureus followed by E.coli. Also the gram positive organisms out-numbered the gram negative ones in SSI in colorectal patients.