Publication:

A comparative study on surgical site infections after primary closure and delayed primary closure in clean contaminated laparotomy cases

Background Surgical site infection is a significant cause of post operative morbidity. Timing of skin closure following a surgery and its relation to incidence of infection has been studied. The debate whether primary or delayed primary closure have been around for a long time. The aim of this study is to compare the rate of infection in a laparotomy wound in clean contaminated laparotomy cases after primary and delayed primary closure.

Methods 132 patients who underwent laparotomy for clean contaminated were selected. Of this primary closure of the skin was done in 66 cases and delayed primary closure at 48 hours were done in the other 66 patients. Wounds were followed up till post op day 7. The results between two groups were compared using chi square test.

Results two out of 66 cases developed SSI in the delayed primary sutured group whereas 8 out of 66 cases developed SSI in primary suturing group. The results were compared using chi square test and the chi square statistic was 3.8951 and the p value is 0.048428 (<0.05) proving the result significant.

Conclusions The incidence of surgical site infection in laparotomy wound after a primary closure was higher compared to delayed primary closure in clean contaminated laparotomy wounds and the difference is significant based on statistical evaluation.