Incidences and reasons of postoperative surgical site infection after lumbar spinal surgery: a large population study.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidences of postoperative acute surgical site infection (SSI) after lumbar spinal surgery and its possible reasons in our hospital during the past 9years. This is a retrospective study with a large sample size. The medical records of all included patients were reviewed, and patients with acute SSI were identified. The incidence and possible reasons of SSI were determined. A total of 7240 patients who underwent posterior lumbar spinal surgery were included in this study, and the total incidence of postoperative SSI was 1.53% (111/7240). Gram-negative bacteria were found to be dominant in postoperative wound infections after lumbar spinal surgery. And Escherichia coli were the most common pathogen in patients with SSI. The rate of postoperative SSI following lumbar spinal surgery was increased at first and then decreased during the past 9years. Additionally, from 2011 to 2014, it was mainly deep infection in these patients, and then was mainly superficial infection from 2015 to 2019. Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis had the highest incidence of postoperative SSI (2.39%, P < 0.001). There was also a significant difference for the number of SSI cases among different surgeons. Based on a large population analysis, Gram-negative bacteria were the most common pathogen in postoperative SSI after lumbar spinal surgery. And patients with lumbar spinal stenosis had the highest incidence of SSI. Increasing the intervention of Gram-negative may be an important step to reduce the postoperative SSI after lumbar spinal surgery.