A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has uncovered a significant healthcare challenge, 15 lakh patients in India develop Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) annually. The overall SSI rate in India stands at 5.2%, higher than many high-income nations, with orthopaedic surgeries showing an alarming infection rate of 54.2%.
According to the ICMR report, debridement surgeries, particularly those involving amputation, open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), or closed reduction internal fixation (CRIF), exhibited the highest SSI rate of 54.2%. The report also highlighted that factors such as clean or contaminated wound classifications and surgeries exceeding 120 minutes significantly increased the risk of infection.
A notable finding revealed that 66% of SSIs were detected post-discharge, underscoring the importance of post-operative surveillance. To address these challenges, ICMR has initiated an SSI surveillance network, supporting healthcare professionals with real-time data and prevention strategies.
The multicentric study, conducted across AIIMS Delhi, Kasturba Hospital Manipal, and Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai, involved 3,090 patients, offering valuable insights to improve surgical outcomes.
