Correlation of Preoperative Nutritional Status and Postoperative Wound Infection in Children

Background: Despite improvements in antimicrobial therapy, surgical technique and postoperative care, wound infection is still a major concern in pediatric surgical practice particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. Objective: This study was conducted to ascertain the relationship between the preoperative nutritional status and postoperative wound infection in children as malnutrition is very prevalent among them. It was also decided to estimate the rate of wound infection in children and to identify the indicator of malnutrition that best predicts wound infection. Methods: This prospective study was carried out in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, BSMMU, Dhaka during the period of January 2009 to September 2010 and included consecutive 100 children undergoing routine surgery. Nutritional status was assessed by measuring BMI, serum…