In gynecologic surgery, surgical-site infections (SSIs) represent a significant source of morbidity and mortality . Moreover, these SSIs are a well-known cause of added health care costs. This article discusses preoperative factors that can cause SSIs in gynecologic surgeries and evaluates current intervention strategies for their prevention. SSIs complicate roughly 2−5% of all surgeries, especially in the case of hysterectomies, and result in significant social and economic burden for the patient and the health care system.
SSIs arise from a complex interaction of several factors such as the surgical personnel, equipment, and the operating room environment. Moreover, there are numerous patient characteristics that impact the risk of SSI. Given that only some factors are amenable to intervention, gynecologic surgeons should be aware regarding the evidence for interventions that reduce…
