Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infections in Elective and Emergency Surgeries: A Prospective Cohort Study Surgery Surgery Original Research Original Research Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) cause morbidity, disabilities, and healthcare costs. This study aims to assess patient- and surgery-related factors influencing SSIs with standardized preoperative, operative, and postoperative care.    Methods: This prospective cohort study involved 140 patients undergoing elective or emergency surgeries at Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Egypt, from October 2020 to September 2021. Patients were stratified into two groups: emergency (Group A) and elective (Group B). Risk factors for SSIs were assessed through observational and analytical methods, focusing on adults aged 15 and older without prior infections. The chi-square test was utilized to assess the strength of associations for categorical variables. Statistical significance was determined at a p-value under 0.05, with a 95% confidence interval employed for all analyses. Data were tabulated using a spreadsheet and analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.    Results: Among 140 patients, 25 developed SSIs (19 men, 6 women). Significant differences were found in wound type (P = 0.001, surgery type (P = 0.002), and operative time (P = 0.010). SSI risk was higher for dirty (45.8%), contaminated (31.3%), and clean-contaminated (12.9%) wounds. Prolonged operative times (≥60 minutes) increased SSI risk (57.9% vs. 40.6%, P = 0.010). Diabetic patients had a higher incidence. In emergency surgeries, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa predominated, while S. aureus and Citrobacter were more common in elective surgeries. Amikacin, metronidazole, azithromycin, and imipenem were effective antibiotics.    Conclusion: SSIs were more common in emergency surgeries. Risk factors included smoking, diabetes, wound contamination, and prolonged operative times. Effective antibiotic use and infection control measures can decrease SSI occurrence. Surgical site infection, Nosocomial infection, Hazard factors of infection, Prevention of infection 432 440 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-9228-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Hazem A. Megahed doctor_hazem_m@yahoo.com 200319475328460091311 0009-0005-7872-9971 Yes Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Ahmed Taki-Eldin ahmedag4000@yahoo.com 200319475328460091312 200319475328460091312 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta, Egypt Abdel-monem A. Mohamed monem_adam@yahoo.com 200319475328460091313 200319475328460091313 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt Masoud Kh El-Syed Ibrahim masoudkhibrahim@gmail.com 200319475328460091314 0009-0000-2145-3293 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Ashraf Ali Abdel Aziz ashrafamer2580@gmail.com 200319475328460091315 0009-0006-0526-0495 No Department of General Surgery, Al Ahrar Teaching Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt Hatem A. Megahed drmegahed2007@yahoo.com 200319475328460091316 0009-0002-2034-8357 No Department of Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt Mohamed Zeen Zeen Farg drmzeen55@gmail.com 200319475328460091317 0009-0005-4293-8835 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Ahmed M. Kandel kandel2025@gmail.com 200319475328460091318 0009-0001-2462-3742 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Abdorabih Alemam dr_abdrabo@yahoo.com 200319475328460091319 0009-0005-0484-4993 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Khaled Mohamed Salamh drkhledsalamh@gmail.com 200319475328460091320 0009-0006-7361-7097 No Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Lamiaa Z Elmoursi dr.lamiaa.3@gmail.com 200319475328460091321 0009-0002-4074-6731 No Department of Clinical Pathology, Student Hospital, Mansoura University, Egypt Ahmed Yousef ahmedyousefdfm@gmail.com 200319475328460091322 200319475328460091322 No Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt Mona F. El Wakel m.alwakel@dau.edu.sa 200319475328460091323 200319475328460091323 No Higher Institute for Computers Information and Management Technology, Tanta, Egypt- College of Business, Dar Al Uloom University, Saudi-Arabia