Qazi Muhammad Zeeshan, Muhammad Faiq Ali, Shiraz Ahmed Gauri, Syed Muneeb Younus, Muhammad Imran, Junaid Ashraf.
Intracranial infection rate; post operative prevalence at Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan.
Professional Med J Jan ;24(2):273-7.

Objectives: The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of post operative intracranial infection rate, at Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective analysis of cases of craniotomy, studying the files of patients who had the procedure done. Setting: Neurosurgical Department at Civil Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Period: Ten years period (2005 to 2015). Method: To determine the incidence and factors associated with infection a sub group analysis was done in all those patients in whom the intracranial infection was caused by a cranial surgery. Patients who were administered antibiotics for the treatment of infection were not included also those who were treated for wound infection without intracranial involvement. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 5800 cranial surgical procedures were performed by a team of 30 neurosurgeons and residents. And a total n= 116 (2%) procedures were done due to post operative infection on a total of n= 70 patients. N= 37 patients were male and n= 33 patients were female, the median age of patients was 50 years and the age range was from 2 to 75 years. The procedures were performed as elective procedures in n= 56 (80%) patients and as an emergency case in n= 14 (20%) patients. The most common organism was methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus, and the most surgeries who were found to have a high incidence of post operative infection for craniotomies done for removal of a tumor. Conclusion: The postoperative infection is one of the most important complications of cranial surgical procedures and required immediate attention and treatment, even after taking all the precautionary measures to ensure sterility a small number of patients still develop severe infection needing reoperation for removal of debris and pus.

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