Infirmity and Injury Complexity are Risk Factors for Surgical-site Infection after Operative Fracture Care

BACKGROUND: Orthopaedic surgical-site infections prolong hospital stays, double rehospitalization rates, and increase healthcare costs. Additionally, patients with orthopaedic surgical-site infections (SSI) have substantially greater physical limitations and reductions in their health-related quality of life. However, the risk factors for SSI after operative fracture care are unclear. QUESTIONS/PURPOSE: We determined the incidence and quantified modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for SSIs in patients with orthopaedic trauma undergoing surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively indentified, from our prospective trauma database and billing records, 1611 patients who underwent 1783 trauma-related procedures between 2006 and 2008. Medical records were reviewed and demographics, surgery-specific data, and whether the patients had an SSI were recorded. We determined which if any variables predicted SSI. RESULTS: Six factors independently predicted SSI: (1) the use of a drain, OR 2.3, 95% CI (1.3–3.8); (2) number of operations OR 3.4, 95% CI (2.0–6.0); (3) diabetes, OR 2.1, 95% CI (1.2–3.8); (4) congestive heart failure (CHF), OR 2.8, 95% CI (1.3–6.5); (5) site of injury tibial shaft/plateau, OR 2.3, 95% CI (1.3–4.2); and (6) site of injury, elbow, OR 2.2, 95% CI (1.1–4.7). CONCLUSION: The risk factors for SSIs after skeletal trauma are most strongly determined by nonmodifiable factors: patient infirmity (diabetes and heart failure) and injury complexity (site of injury, number of operations, use of a drain). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guideline for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.