by Ass. Prof. Per Kjaersgaard-Andersen, MD.
Among the most severe and frustrating complications orthopaedic surgeons encounter is when a well-performed and otherwise suc- cessful surgical treatment to fix a fracture, insert a joint replacement implant or perform a spinal decompression ends up with an early surgical site infection. Whether the patient is ready for discharge from the hospital or just has been discharged, the patient who develops a surgical site infection (SSI) is usu- ally faced with more surgery, a longer hospital stay, long-term antibiotic treatment and disability and morbidity. In some cases of SSI, our patients have lifelong memories of “that day in surgery” that caused them so many ongoing problems.
Despite all the technological advances today, we still do not know much about SSI. It remains a major issue. Groups like the World Health Organization have started programs to stop these kinds of in- fections from occurring, but SSI is still a major problem for patients and surgeons with implications for health care economics, as well.
Much has been written about the frequency and prevention of SSI, which is almost always a topic on the program of orthopaedic meetings, where it is a hotly debated issue. Once again, I cannot help but wonder why we, for the most part, are unsuccessful in eliminat- ing SSI or limiting its extent.
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