Background:

Surgical site infection affects one-third of surgical patients. Its incidence varies according to multiple factors.

Objective:

To analyze risk factors for surgical site infection in patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery.

Methodology:

Analytical cross-sectional study with 589 patients who underwent major orthopedic surgery between 2020 and 2021. Information on the patient, the surgery, and the compliance with bundles was collected from the Sclínico platform using a registration grid. Favorable opinion of the Ethics Committee (No. 46/2022).

Results:

Twenty-three participants (3.9%) developed surgical site infections. They were mostly men (56.5%), aged 57 to 78 years (60.9%,) with a high body mass index (91.3%), hypertension (73.9%), smoking habits (14.09%), heart failure (9.3%), and tremor (33.3%). A statistically significant association was found between surgical site infection and smoking, heart failure, tremor, duration of surgery, postoperative time, and type of surgery.

Conclusion:

The frequency of infection was significant in patients with smoking habits, heart failure, tremor, and longer surgical and hospitalization times. We recommend reducing smoking, controlling heart failure, and decreasing surgical and hospitalization times.

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