The Effect of American Society of Anesthesiologists Score and Operative Time on Surgical Site Infection Rates in Major Abdominal Surgeries

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of two crucial variables, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and operative time, on the occurrence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in the context of major abdominal surgical procedures. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional research study involved patients undergoing various gastrointestinal surgical procedures. Surgical details, procedure duration, and ASA score were meticulously documented. Patients were observed for surgical site infections (SSIs) during their inpatient stay until discharge. Following their discharge, patients were monitored in the outpatient department for a minimum of 30 days post-surgery, and those who underwent mesh procedures were observed for one year. RESULTS: In the overall study population, surgical site infections were identified in 42 cases, constituting 6.7%. There was a significant association between ASA grade and the incidence of surgical site infections (p=0.001), indicating a higher prevalence of infections in cases with elevated ASA grades. Furthermore, a statistically significant association exists between the average duration of surgery and the occurrence of surgical site infections (p=0.001). The mean surgery duration for cases with infections is reported as 206.33 min, with a standard deviation of 103.73, while for cases without infections, the mean duration is 99.72 min, with a standard deviation of 79.71. In the multivariate analysis, it was found that an ASA score of 3 or higher and operative time exceeding 90 min were identified as independent factors for predicting the likelihood of surgical site infections. CONCLUSION: The significant associations identified between the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, average surgery duration, and SSIs underscore the importance of comprehensive preoperative assessment and procedural management in infection prevention.