Wound healing disorders in urology

: In urology wound infections are of particular importance, since they occur in more than 8 of 100 patients. Of all surgical disciplines, urology in fact, is the one with the highest incidence of secondary wound healing. Thus, defective wound healing is seen in about 20% of unselected nephrectomy cases while adenomectomies associated with pyuria and prostatic abscesses show delayed healing in about 40%. In the presence of pyonephrosis or pyelonephritis surgical wounds are infected in 50% of cases. Prolonged preoperative hospitalization increases the chances of skin contamination and, as a result, the risk of wound infection. In addition, it is associated with a higher incidence of hospital infections, which constitutes another endogenous factor underlying defective wound healing. The rate of postoperative wound infections can only be kept within reasonable limits, if close attention is paid to the many factors which contribute to wound healing (e. g. hygiene and preoperative preparation, removal of hair, skin degerming, draping, preoperative disinfection of hands, prophylactic antibiotics etc.) and if strict aseptic and antiseptic precautions are taken.