Surgical Wound Infections

Abstract

The work of Louis Pasteur, Joseph Lister, and Robert Koch in the late nineteenth century has informed the role of infection on surgical outcomes and ultimately served as the foundation for the transformation of surgical medicine. Louis Pasteur was a French scientist whose studies in fermentation, anthrax, silkworm disease, chicken cholera, and rabies led to the development of the germ theory of fermentation and subsequently the germ theory of disease. 1-3 In his early fermentation studies, he proposed that microorganisms caused fermentation and decomposition during a time when it was widely believed to be solely a chemical reaction. He developed techniques of sterilizing equipment in the laboratory that later would translate into similar applications in the surgical setting. British surgeon Joseph Lister brought his experience and observations as a surgeon and his belief in the germ theory of disease to his development of aseptic techniques using carbolic acid in the surgical setting. 4 He developed a set of principles in asepsis to be used in approach to surgery and surgical wounds: (1) destroy germs on the patient's skin, the surgeon's hands, the instruments, and the area surrounding the surgical site; (2) prevent germs from the air from entering the wound during surgery; and (3) prevent germs from entering the wound after surgery. 3-6

Risk predictions of surgical wound complications based on a machine learning algorithm: A systematic review

“…We have encompassed all experimental investigations published from 1990 16 to the current date, delving into the application of ML in evaluating surgical wounds. Exclusionary criteria were applied, eliminating studies that did not meet the following specifications 1 : the absence of full text, 2 studies predominantly grounded ML in all parts of surgeries, 3 those neglecting the assessment of the wound, 4 articles covering reviews, guidelines or conference proceedings and 5 duplications found across databases.…”

“…Surgical procedures, given their complexity, can give rise to various complications 1 . In this regard, complications such as postoperative wound infections, a common consequence of many surgeries, can lead to unfavourable surgical outcomes like prolonged hospitalization and mortality 2 .…”

“…Surgical procedures, given their complexity, can give rise to various complications. 1 In this regard, complications such as postoperative wound infections, a common consequence of many surgeries, can lead to unfavourable surgical outcomes like prolonged hospitalization and mortality. 2 Furthermore, evidence suggests that 2%–5% of individuals experience surgical site infections (SSIs) annually after surgery, affecting almost 15 million people globally each year.…”