Surgical Site Infection Rates: A Comparative Study Between Elective and Emergency Surgeries in a Tertiary Care Centre in Eastern U. P.

Abstract Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant cause of postoperative morbidity, prolonged hospital stay, and increased healthcare costs. The risk of SSIs varies between elective and emergency surgeries due to factors such as patient condition, sterility control, and procedural urgency. Objective: This study aims to compare SSI rates between elective and emergency surgeries and identify the contributing risk factors influencing infection rates. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on patients undergoing elective and emergency surgical procedures. Patients were followed postoperatively for the development of SSIs. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, type of surgery, duration of procedure, intraoperative contamination, and postoperative wound care were analyzed. Results: SSI rates were significantly higher in emergency surgeries (18%) compared to elective surgeries (6%). Factors contributing to increased SSI risk in emergency cases included poor preoperative optimization, increased contamination, longer surgical duration, and higher wound classification scores. Conclusion: Emergency surgeries have a significantly higher incidence of SSIs than elective procedures due to lack of preoperative optimization, higher contamination risk, and compromised aseptic conditions. Implementing strict infection control measures and perioperative care protocols can help reduce the incidence of SSIs.