Table 1 CDC surgical site infection criteria [25]

Superficial incisional SSI: Date of event for infection occurs within 30 days after the operative procedure (where day 1 = the procedure date) AND involves only skin and subcutaneous tissue of the incision AND patient has at least one of the following:

a

Purulent drainage from the superficial incision

b

Organisms identified from an aseptically-obtained specimen from the superficial incision or subcutaneous tissue by a culture or non-culture based microbiologic testing method

c

Superficial incision that is deliberately opened by a surgeon, attending physician or other designee AND culture or non-culture based testing is not performed AND patient has at least one of the following signs or symptoms: pain or tenderness; localized swelling; erythema; or heat

d

Diagnosis of a superficial incisional SSI by the surgeon or attending physician or other designee

Deep incisional SSI: Must meet the following criteria: The date of event for infection occurs within 90 days after the operative procedure (where day 1 = the procedure date) AND involves deep soft tissues of the incision (for example, fascial and muscle layers) AND patient has at least one of the following:

a

Purulent drainage from the deep incision

b

A deep incision that spontaneously dehisces, or is deliberately opened or aspirated by a surgeon, attending physician or other designee AND organism is identified by a culture or nonculture based microbiologic testing method; or culture or non-culture based microbiologic testing method is not performed AND patient has at least one of the following signs or symptoms: fever (> 38 °C); localized pain or tenderness. A culture or non-culture based test that has a negative finding does not meet this criterion

c

An abscess or other evidence of infection involving the deep incision that is detected on gross

Anatomical or histopathologic exam, or imaging test