Postoperative Infections: Etiology, Incidence and Risk Factors among Neurosurgical Patients in Mthatha, South Africa

Background: Despite progress in hospital care, infections continue to represent one of the major complications among hospitalized patients.
Objectives: The study sought to determine the etiology and incidence of hospital-acquired infections and their associated risk factors following neurosurgical procedures.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from October 2013 to September 2014. Data including, demographics, hospitalization period, type of operations, and primary diagnosis, were collected. Post-surgical infections were confirmed microbiologically. SPSS v.23 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: A total of 1,688 patients who underwent neurosurgical operations were enrolled. The incidence of post-surgical infections was 4.2% per year. Post-surgical infections were significantly associated with craniotomy (ρ < 0.0001), prolonged stay (≥30 days) in the ward (ρ = 0.008), and patients’ age ≥ 35 years (ρ = 0.05). Staphylococcus aureus (19.7%) was the most frequently isolated pathogen followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.7%). A total of 42.9% of S. aureus isolates were MRSA (methicillin-resistant S.aureus), but all these isolates were susceptible to vancomycin; 44.4% of K. pneumoniae isolates were ESBL (extended spectrum beta-lactamase) positive but were susceptible to carbapenems, piperacilline-tazobactam and amikacin.
Conclusion: Post-surgical infections remain an important problem in neurosurgery. Increased resistance to causative pathogens is a major concern.
Keywords: Causative agents, Neurosurgery, post-surgical infections, risk factors

Author(s): DT Abaver

Abstract | PDF

Share This Article