Pelczar et al identified risk factors associated with surgical site infections in patients have cancer surgery for the head and neck. The authors are from the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Risk factors for postoperative wound infections:
(1) preoperative thrombocytosis (35% of patients with platelet counts >= 400,000 per µL)
(2) duration of surgery >= 2 hours, especially if >= 6 hours
(3) prolonged hospital stay
(4) surgical entry into the pharynx
(5) surgery with flap reconstruction
Patients with risk factors for postoperative wound infection should be treated prophylactically and the surgical sites monitored closely.
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