Wound infection after gastroduodenal operations: a 10-year review.

A review of 444 gastric operations performed over a 10-year period revealed striking differences in wound infection rates when the operations were categorized according to the major indication for surgery. On this basis, low-intermediate- and high-risk groups were recognized. A subsequent prospective randomized study confirmed the predictive value of this categorization and showed that the administration perioperatively of prophylactic systemic antibiotics in high-risk patients will protect them from postoperative wound infection.