BACKGROUND We sought to identify risk factors for surgical site infections (SSI) in children undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS A matched case-control study was conducted in the Children's Hospital Boston Cardiovascular Program. Surgical site infections were identified for 3 years (2004 to 2006). We identified two randomly selected control patients who underwent cardiac surgery within 7 days...

OBJECTIVE International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes are increasingly used to identify healthcare-associated infections, often with insufficient evidence demonstrating validity of the codes used. Absent medical record verification, we sought to confirm a claims algorithm to identify surgical site infections (SSIs) by examining the ...

BACKGROUND Surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance is a key factor in the elaboration of strategies to reduce SSI occurrence and in providing surgeons with appropriate data feedback (risk indicators, clinical prediction rule). AIM To improve the predictive performance of an individual-based SSI risk model by considering a multilevel hierarchical structure. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data were ...

We wished to estimate the incidence of surgical-site infection (SSI) after total hip replacement (THR) and hemiarthroplasty and its strength of association with major risk factors. The SSI surveillance service prospectively gathered clinical, operative and infection data on inpatients from 102 hospitals in England during a four-year period. The overall incidence of SSI was 2.23% for 16,291 THRs...

The authors discuss how Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI) can contribute to economic development in the state. SSI research is covering five of the seven targeted technology areas identified in recent reports as being important for economic development in the state (forestry and agriculture, environmental, information, composites, marine and aquaculture). The authors note how th...

Previous researchers have noted that the ‘categorical’ Medicaid eligibility accompanying the welfare programs Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) often far exceeds the value of these programs’ cash benefits. It may be the case that the accompanying health insurance, not the cash benefit, is often the decisive factor in welfare participation. If ...

The static stiffness index (SSI) is mathematical equation that results in a simple number when the sub-bandage pressure in the supine position is subtracted from the subbandage pressure in the standing weight-bearing position. When SSI data are reported, often a wide range of values is observed for similar materials. The aim of this study was to explore the strength and weakness of the SSI and ...

BACKGROUND Abdominal surgical site infections (SSI) cause substantial morbidity and mortality for patients undergoing operative procedures. We determined the incidence of and risk factors for SSI after abdominal surgery in the Department of Abdominal Surgery at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (UCCK). METHODOLOGY Prospective surveillance of patients undergoing abdominal surgery was pe...

BACKGROUND While the persistence of high surgical site infection (SSI) rates has prompted the advent of more expensive sutures that are coated with antimicrobial agents to prevent SSIs, the economic value of such sutures has yet to be determined. METHODS Using TreeAge Pro, we developed a decision analytic model to determine the cost-effectiveness of using antimicrobial sutures in abdominal in...

BACKGROUND The association of surgical duration with the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) has not been quantified in neurosurgery. We investigated the association of operative duration in neurosurgical procedures with the incidence of SSI. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study involving patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures from 2005 to 2012 and were registered in t...