Nosocomial infection following video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

OBJECTIVES To assess the incidence and risk factors for nosocomial infection after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). METHODS Prospective cohort study of all consecutive patients who underwent VATS surgery during 20 months. Patients were visited on a daily basis and followed up until they were discharged from the hospital. RESULTS During the study period 217 patients (70.1% men; mean age, 50.9 years, range 15-85 years) underwent VATS. Fourteen (6%) episodes of postoperative infection were diagnosed in 13 patients, including pneumonia (n = 2), lower respiratory tract infection (n = 9), surgical site infection (n = 2), and urinary tract infection (n = 1). Prior inmunosupresion (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-4.84), prior infections (OR, 14.9; 95% CI 1.91-116.5), preoperative stay > 2 days (OR, 3.37; 95% CI 1.00-11.40), neoplasia (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.94-7.06) duration of surgery > 45 minutes (OR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.00-36.40) and presence of central venous catheter (OR, 16.40; 95% CI, 2.29-117.20), were independent risk factors for nosocomial infection. CONCLUSIONS Nosocomial infection rate after VATS was low. Respiratory infection was the most common infection. Factors which affect patient immunity, preoperative stay and perioperative-related variables were independently associated with infection.