English abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI)
in patients undergoing a Caesarean section (CS) and to identify risk factors, common bacterial pathogens and
antibiotic sensitivity. SSI significantly affect the patient's quality of life by increasing morbidity and extending
hospital stays. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Nizwa Hospital, Oman, to
determine the incidence of post-Caesarean (PCS) SSI from 2001 to 2012. This was followed by a case-control study
of 211 PCS cases with SSI. Controls (220) were randomly selected cases, at the same hospital in the same time
period, who had undergone CS without any SSI. Data was collected on CS type, risk factors, demographic profile,
type of organism, drug sensitivity and date of infection. Results: The total number of PCS wound infections was
211 (2.66%). There was a four-fold higher incidence of premature rupture of the membranes (37, 17.53%) and a
three-fold higher incidence of diabetes (32, 15.16%) in the PCS cases compared with controls. The most common
organisms responsible for SSI were Staphylococcus aureus (66, 31.27%) and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli
group (40, 18.95%). The most sensitive antibiotics were aminoglycoside and cephalosporin. Polymicrobial infections
were noted in 42 (19.90%), while 47 (22.27%) yielded no growth. A high incidence of associated risk factors like
obesity, hypertension, anaemia and wound haematoma was noted. Conclusion: Measures are recommended to
reduce the incidence of SSI, including the implementation of infection prevention practices and the administration
of antibiotic prophylaxis with rigorous surgical techniques.
