Usefulness of a multidisciplinary surgical site infection team in colorectal surgery

Background : Surgical site infection (SSI) is an adverse event that places a major burden on patients and staff. In this study, we examined the occurrence of SSI and the characteristics of patients referred to the SSI team after colorectal surgery. Methods : In total, 955 patients underwent colorectal surgery at our hospital from 2014 to 2019. Of these 955 patients, 516 received therapeutic support by the SSI team from 2017 to 2019. All patients were evaluated using an SSI surveillance sheet, and we checked for reports of SSI once a month. Each attending physician performed SSI prophylaxis (use of new instruments before wound irrigation and closure). Results : SSI occurred in 80 (8.4%) patients. The incidence of SSI and the incidence of surface SSI were higher in the patients who did not receive intervention by the SSI team than in the patients who did. Organ / space SSI occurred in 18 patients. Among patients with surface SSI, Enterococcus was the most commonly detected bacteria. Among the 18 patients with organ / space SSI, 5 developed anastomotic leakage and 4 developed intra-abdominal abscesses. Conclusions : An SSI team for prevention and treatment of infection may contribute to reduction of SSI.