The Influence of Surveillance Methods on Surgical Wound Infection Rates in a Tertiary Care Spinal Surgery Service

Abstract

Postdischarge surveillance, surgical procedure classification methods, and the indications for surgery (e.g., trauma, congenital deformity) influence the surgical wound infection rate. Current adjustments for some of these factors in the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system appear to be inadequate when used in a tertiary care facility.