The Role of Postoperative Factors in Surgical Site Infections: Time to Take Notice

Surgical site infections (SSIs) continue to occur, in many instances despite high compliance with best practice measures primarily revolving around pre- and intraoperative periods. Postoperative factors have traditionally been considered to play a relatively minor role in the causation of SSIs. An increasing body of evidence, however, suggests that many SSIs occur as a result of pathogens gaining access to surgical wounds either hematogenously, through drains, or through slowly healing wounds due to systemic anticoagulation or other factors, particularly in the setting of high compliance with standard perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Evidence also supports frequent acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during the postoperative period. These findings, coupled with lack of clear efficacy of various pre- and intraoperative interventions such as MRSA decolonization and use of vancomycin for prophylaxis against this organism, should force us to consider the important role that postoperative factors may play in the causation of SSIs in the current era.