COMPARISON OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY WITH HIGH BMI AND LOW BMI

Abstract

Objective: To assess the frequency, type, microorganism involvement, and risk factors related to the occurrence of SSI among patients undergoing CS surgery in females with BMIs of less than 27 kg/m² and more than 27 kg/m² at the Gynaecology Ward of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi.

Research Design: Comparative Observational Research.

Setting & Duration: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, JPMC Karachi. 12 months .

Methods: Two equal groups of two hundred pregnant women undergoing cesarean section surgery were selected: Patients having a body mass index of less than 27 kg/m² were included in Group B (n = 100), while those with a body mass index of ≥27 kg/m² were included in Group A (n = 100). The follow-up period was thirty days following surgery. Surgical site infections were categorized as superficial, deep, and organ/space infections based on CDC criteria.

Results: Thirteen (13%) patients from the low BMI group and thirty-two (32%) from the high BMI group had SSI (p = 0.002). The most prevalent kind in both groups was incisional SSI. The high BMI group had far greater rates of chorioamnionitis, emergency CS, and diabetes mellitus. E. coli was the most common isolate in both groups. The group with a high BMI had a much greater need for surgery (21.9% vs. 15.4%).

Conclusion: Following a Caesarean section, the high BMI group is a separate risk factor for SSI. For obese patients giving birth, the use of particular preoperative therapies, adherence to aseptic procedures, and postoperative monitoring are required.