Bacteriology of abdominal wounds in elective open colon surgery: a prospective study of 100 surgical wounds.

This article describes a prospective bacteriological study designed to assess the value of bacterial sampling during elective open colon surgery. Swabs of the subcutaneous tissue were taken after closure of the abdominal fascia, but before closure of the skin, in 100 patients during elective colon surgery. Of the 100 swabs, 52 were sterile with no resulting wound infection, while ten of the remaining 48 contaminated swabs were associated with a wound infection caused by colonic pathogens and nosocomial microorganisms. Bacterial sampling seems to be a useful method for the prediction of wound infection following elective colon surgery.