Surgical site infections after abdominal surgery: incidence and risk factors. A prospective cohort study.

Background: Abdominal surgeries have high rates of surgical site infections (SSIs), contributing to increased morbidity and mortality and costs for hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine the SSI incidence rates and risk factors after abdominal surgeries.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included all patients undergoing abdominal surgeries between 2005 and 2007 in the Western Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, Israel.