SUBJECT: This study was designed to determine if direct documentation (in-patients) and questionnaire (out-patients) are reliable follow-up methods to record nosocomial wound infections (NWI) after orthopedic surgery. Furthermore if postdischarge NWI were also detected without this project. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 1664 patients after orthopedic surgery were evaluated over 20 month. In-hospital infections were directly documented. Later infections were recorded by questionnaire 3 months following patient's discharge. Data of all cases with NWI were retrospectively evaluated as a control. RESULTS: A total of 18 NWI (1.1%) were recorded. 2 of these were deep wound infections after hip or knee arthroplasty, no re-operation was required. 6 NWI (33.3%) occurred after discharge. All of these post-discharge NWI were detected in our out-patient clinics. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrate, that postoperative wound infections surveillance must be continued after discharge. 33.3% NWI occurred after discharge and all cases were detected at our out-patient clinics. We conclude that questionnaires to record post-discharge NWI are not necessary in hospitals with routinely follow-up in out-patient clinics.
SUBJECT: This study was designed to determine if direct documentation (in-patients) and questionnaire (out-patients) are reliable follow-up methods to record nosocomial wound infections (NWI) after orthopedic surgery. Furthermore if postdischarge NWI were also detected without this project. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 1664 patients after orthopedic surgery were evaluated over 20 month. In-hospital infections were directly documented. Later infections were recorded by questionnaire 3 months following patient's discharge. Data of all cases with NWI were retrospectively evaluated as a control. RESULTS: A total of 18 NWI (1.1%) were recorded. 2 of these were deep wound infections after hip or knee arthroplasty, no re-operation was required. 6 NWI (33.3%) occurred after discharge. All of these post-discharge NWI were detected in our out-patient clinics. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrate, that postoperative wound infections surveillance must be continued after discharge. 33.3% NWI occurred after discharge and all cases were detected at our out-patient clinics. We conclude that questionnaires to record post-discharge NWI are not necessary in hospitals with routinely follow-up in out-patient clinics.