Intraoperative incision irrigation with high-volume saline reduces surgical site infection for abdominal infections

PurposeSurgical site infection (SSI) remains one of the most common postoperative complications for patients with abdominal infections. This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of high-volume normal saline (NS) irrigation in preventing postoperative SSI for patients with abdominal infections.MethodsIn this retrospective before-after clinical study, patients who underwent emergency laparotomy due to abdominal infections between Jan 2015 and Dec 2021 were included consecutively. A cohort of 207 patients with NS irrigation was compared to historical controls. A propensity score matching (PSM) with a 1:1 ratio was performed to reduce potential bias. The primary outcome was the 30-day SSI rate.ResultsIrrigation (n = 207) and control (n = 207) matched patients were statistically identical on baseline characteristics, perioperative, and intraoperative parameters. Irrigation patients had lower overall SSI rates (10.6% vs. 26.1%, p