A new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report has highlighted that approximately 15 lakh patients in India suffer from Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) annually, with a concerning SSI rate of 5.2%. Orthopaedic surgeries, in particular, pose a high risk, with an alarming 54.2% infection rate, raising a serious challenge for the healthcare system.

Key Highlights:

1. Scope of the Study:

2. The ICMR report indicates that SSIs occur due to bacterial infections at surgical incision sites post-surgery, leading to complications.

3. The SSI rate in India is significantly higher (5.2%) compared to many high-income countries.

  2.  Orthopaedic Surgeries and Risk Factors:

• Orthopaedic surgeries have the highest SSI rate at 54.2%, including procedures like amputation, open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), and closed reduction internal fixation (CRIF).

• Longer surgical durations (exceeding 120 minutes) were associated with increased infection risks.

  3.  Multicentric Study Findings:

• The study involved 3,090 patients from AIIMS Delhi, Kasturba Hospital Manipal, and Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai.

• 161 patients (5.2%) developed SSIs, with 66% of cases detected post-discharge, emphasizing the importance of post-discharge surveillance.

• Combination surgeries were found to have a higher likelihood of SSIs.

Statements from Leaders or Officials:

• ICMR Report:

• “Clean and polluted wound classifications, combined with surgeries exceeding 120 minutes, showed a significant correlation with increased SSI risk,” noted the ICMR report.

The ICMR has launched an SSI surveillance network aimed at educating and supporting doctors to prevent and mitigate SSIs. This initiative will focus on identifying high-risk surgeries and enhancing post-discharge surveillance protocols to curb infection rates and improve patient outcomes.