Application of a framework to mitigate the risk of surgical site infection after exploratory celiotomy in horses: A retrospective study.

Surgical audits identified deficiencies reducing SSI from 29% to 2.3% post-intervention.

This retrospective case-control study examined 448 horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy at North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 2019-2024. A concerning increase in surgical site infections (SSI) was observed, rising from 7.7% in 2019 to 29% in 2020. A comprehensive surgical audit was conducted to identify procedural deficiencies and factors contributing to increased SSI incidence. The audit findings informed development of an evidence-based intervention incorporating preventative perioperative strategies and addressing identified protocol gaps. Following implementation of the new protocols, SSI incidence decreased significantly to 2.3%. Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test and univariate logistic regression (p < 0.05) confirmed significant improvements. This study demonstrates that structured surgical audits can effectively identify quality-of-care issues and guide targeted interventions to reduce surgical complications. The authors note this represents the first literature describing such structured processes in veterinary medicine, potentially providing a model for other institutions addressing similar surgical site infection challenges.

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