Risk factors in postoperative neurosurgical infection. A prospective study.

Four hundred and seventy patients who had undergone neurosurgical operations were studied prospectively. After defining post-operative infection so that is included all the infective complications irrespective of location occurring after surgery, the overall infection rate was 17%. The infection rate in 413 cases without pre-existing infection was 15%. Wound infection was recorded in 5% and meningitis in 6%. Risk factors which lead to a significant increase in the incidence of postoperative infection were found to be altered sensorium, multiple operations, pre-existing infection, emergency surgery, duration of surgery more than 4 hours, urinary catheterisation, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and ventilatory support.