Preventing Surgical Site Infections in Emergency General Surgery: Current Strategies and Recommendations

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common post-operative complication that places significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. Patients undergoing emergency surgery are at an increased risk of SSI due to many patient factors and intra operative variables that are prevalent in emergency general surgery (EGS).

Surgeons utilize many different techniques during EGS cases to minimize the incidence of SSI. Data supporting wound protectors and routine wound irrigation are mixed, however, they are low-cost, low-risk options to help mitigate surgical site infections. There are several advantages to intra-operative normothermia and glucose control for the prevention of SSI, which have been studied in elective and emergent surgical populations. The management of contaminated general surgery wounds is controversial, but there is growing evidence to support the use of closed negative pressure wound therapy.

This review provides a comprehensive, evidence based overview of perioperative recommendations for decreasing risk of surgical site infections and wound management strategies for contaminated general surgery wounds. Surgeons should be familiar with these techniques to help minimize the risk of surgical site infections and hasten the patient’s recovery from surgery.