Introduction: Infections at the surgical site are linked to significant morbidity and death, longer hospital stays, and higher medical expenses. Many factors emphasize the importance of studying post-operative infections in abdominal surgery. Post-operative infections have been associated with advanced age and male gender due to age-related physiological changes and differences in immune response. The differences in tissue damage, wound exposure, and microbiological contamination between open and laparoscopic operations affect the risk of infection. Objectives: to analyse the incidence of surgical site infections after major abdominal surgeries and risk factors for development of SSIs. Methods: Medical records of patients who had abdominal surgeries at Aljalla Hospital between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, who were admitted to Aljala Teaching Hospital, were included in the retrospective cohort study, which was conducted in the Department of Surgery Unit during the period from September 2024 to February 2025. Results: The incidence of surgical site infection in this study was 18.6%, which is comparable to other studies. There was increased risk of SSI in patients operated in emergencies, patients above 60 years of age, surgeries with dirty and contaminated wounds, patients having comorbidities like anaemia, DM, hypoalbuminemia. Pseudomonas followed by Staphylococcus aureus are most commonly identified organisms in culture. Conclusions: Post-operative abdominal wound infection represents a substantial burden of disease, both for the patients and the healthcare services in terms of the morbidity, mortality.

Abdominal Surgery, Surgical Site Infection, diagnosis, treatment, prevention