THE FREQUENCY OF PORT-SITE INFECTION IN LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMIES

Abstract

Objective: To study the frequency of port-site infection (PSI) in cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomies

reusing disposable ports.

Material and Methods: Record of all patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Surgical A

Unit; LRH between 2007-1994 was retrospectively analyzed for PSI. Out of 300 cases, 6 cases were

converted to open cholecystectomy and excluded from the study. All patients were admitted a day before

surgery and were given 3 shots of ceftriaxone 1gm (Inj. Rocephin, Roche, UK); one before and two after

the surgery. The patients were monitored for port site using standard National Nosocomial Infections

Surveillance (NNIS) System definitions given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

All infected wounds were treated by local washes and oral antibiotics.

Results: Out of 294 cases, 17 (5.78%) developed PSI. Out of these 17 infected cases 12 (70.5%) had

superficial infection while 5 (29.4%) had deep surgical site infection (SSI). Epigastric port-site was

infected in 15 (88.2%) cases followed by the umbilical port-site in 2 (11.8%) cases. Two (11.8%) patients

with port-site infection had operation lasting < 1 hour while in 15 (88.2%) cases the surgery lasted for

>1hr. Main operative findings were acute cholecystitis in 7 (41.1%) patients, empyema gall bladder in 4

(23.5%), adhesions in 3 (17.6%).

Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with a low risk of PSI, which in most cases is

only superficial and responds to local measures. It is most commonly the trocar site of gall bladder

extraction that is infected.