Incidence and Determinants of Surgical Site Infections in General Surgery: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chennai

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant postoperative complication, contributing to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and healthcare costs. This retrospective study conducted at Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, assessed patients undergone surgery in the Department of General surgery a total of 634 Patients were analyzed patients which included 360 male (57%) and 274 female (43%). Colon surgery had the highest SSI rate among them, at 12.1%, even though there were fewer instances overall than appendectomy. The SSI rates for appendectomy and small bowel surgery are significant (10.9% and 10.6%, respectively). The greatest number of SSIs (19) occurs during appendectomy, which is noteworthy because a significant percentage of these patients are emergency situations. The comparatively low SSI rate of 4.3% of the total cases (140) in the case of hernia repair indicates that the technique is cleaner and has a decreased risk of infection. The findings highlight the need for enhanced infection prevention strategies, including improved perioperative glycemic control, standardized antibiotic prophylaxis, and targeted measures for high-risk procedures such as gastrointestinal surgeries. Strengthening these practices can significantly reduce SSIs, improve surgical outcomes, and enhance overall patient care in tertiary healthcare settings.