Salman Akhtar, A A Ali, F Karim, N Aslam, K M Gondal, A M Chaudhry.
Duration of Surgery: Does it contribute to Post-Operative Wound Infection?.
Pak J Surg Jan ;17(3):35-40.

Since ancient times wound infection has markedly increased the sufferings of postoperative cases. In fact the ideal care of the wound begins in the preoperative period, and ends only months later. The patient must be prepared so that optimal conditions exist when the wound is inflicted. This study was carried out in the North Surgical Ward, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Three hundred patients who underwent surgery were included in the study. The patients were divided in two equal groups. Duration, type of operations and level of competence of surgeons were noted in each case. Postoperative wound recovery was noted.

Infection rate rose from 4.96% to 96.6% in elective operations of duration <9 hour to >2 hours and 94.75% to 32.69% for the same period in emergency cases. Also surgery done by consultant and senior surgical staff showed lesserrate of wound infection. Emergency surgical operation wounds carried higher infection rate (24%) as compared to the elective cases (6.6%).

This study signifies that the duration of surgery can be reduced by meticulous, clean, gentle, skillful, quick and ingenious surgical techniques with tissue respect, proper definition of planes and good hemostasis.

Improvement in the surgical skills and techniques of resident staff and also their direct supervision not only decreases the duration of operation but also incidence of postoperative wound infection.

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