PREVENTION OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS IN MODERN SURGERY

Abstract

Surgical site infections remain one of the most clinically significant complications of operative treatment, affecting patient safety, hospital workload, antimicrobial use, and healthcare costs worldwide. Despite progress in aseptic surgery, anesthesia, perioperative monitoring, minimally invasive techniques, and antimicrobial prophylaxis, surgical site infections continue to occur in both high-income and low- and middle-income healthcare systems. The aim of this article is to analyze the current evidence on the burden, risk factors, prevention strategies, and clinical importance of surgical site infections in modern surgical practice. The article was prepared using an analytical literature-based approach, drawing on international guidelines, PubMed-indexed studies, World Health Organization recommendations, and surgical infection prevention principles. The findings show that surgical site infection is not caused by a single factor but by the interaction of patient-related, procedure-related, microbial, environmental, and system-level determinants. Effective prevention requires a structured perioperative bundle that includes preoperative risk assessment, rational antibiotic prophylaxis, skin antisepsis, maintenance of normothermia and glycemic control, strict operating room discipline, safe surgical technique, and postoperative wound surveillance. Modern developments such as antimicrobial stewardship, electronic surveillance, artificial intelligence-assisted risk prediction, and minimally invasive surgery may further reduce infection rates when integrated into quality improvement programs. In conclusion, surgical site infection prevention must be treated as a continuous multidisciplinary process rather than a single technical action. Strengthening evidence-based surgical safety protocols is especially important for countries modernizing their healthcare systems and expanding access to safe surgery.