Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) significantly impact postoperative outcomes and healthcare costs, with incidence rates varying by the cleanliness of the surgical procedure. This study aimed to compare the incidence of SSIs in clean versus contaminated surgeries to identify potential targets for infection control strategies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital, including 200 patients undergoing surgical procedures categorized as clean or contaminated. Patients were monitored for the development of SSIs based on CDC criteria up to 30 days post-surgery. Data on patient demographics, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes were collected and analyzed using chi-square tests for categorical data and logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Of the 200 patients, 100 underwent clean and 100 underwent contaminated surgeries. The incidence of SSIs was significantly higher in the contaminated group (27%) compared to the clean group (6%). Statistical analysis revealed a chi-square value of 13.52 and a p-value of <0.001, indicating a significant association between surgery contamination level and SSI occurrence. The relative risk of developing an SSI in contaminated surgeries was 4.5 times higher than in clean surgeries.

surgical site infections, clean surgery, contaminated surgery