Risk factors for surgical site infections following open reduction and internal fixation in patients with tibial plateau fractures

Shuaishuai Sun; Guang Yang; Yuze Zhang; Yisi Liu

doi:10.1111/iwj.14496

Risk factors for surgical site infections following open reduction and internal fixation in patients with tibial plateau fractures

Int Wound J. 2023 Nov 15;21(3):e14496. doi: 10.1111/iwj.14496. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shuaishuai Sun¹, Guang Yang², Yuze Zhang¹, Yisi Liu³

Affiliations

¹ Physical Education Institute, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China.
² Tianjin Institute of Physical Education, School of Martial Arts and Traditional National Sports, Tianjin, China.
³ Graduate School and Open Learning College, Cavite State University, Carmona, Cavite, Philippines.

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with postoperative wound infections in patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation for tibial plateau fractures. The study was conducted between January 2019 and December 2022, with stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected from the Electronic Health Record system, including demographic information, lifestyle habits, comorbid conditions and surgical variables like preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores. The IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 27.0, was utilized for rigorous statistical analyses. Univariate analysis identified several factors, such as body mass index (BMI), smoking status and diabetes mellitus, as significant predictors of postoperative wound infection. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that BMI, type of fracture (open vs. closed), surgery duration exceeding 150 min, preoperative albumin levels below 35 g/L and preoperative ASA score of 3 or higher were significant independent risk factors (p < 0.05). Patients with open fractures, preoperative malnutrition, elevated preoperative ASA scores and a history of smoking are at a heightened risk of developing postoperative wound infections. Timely preoperative evaluation of these risk factors is crucial for minimizing the risk of surgical site infections and optimizing clinical management.

Keywords: open reduction and internal fixation; retrospective cohort study; surgical site infections; tibial plateau fractures.