Background: A web-based surveillance of surgical-site infections (SSIs) in Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (KONIS) was performed to determine the incidence of SSIs after 15 operative procedures.
Methods: Forty-three hospitals participated in the surveillance system for 15 operative procedures. A year-round observation was carried out, and the duration of participation was shortened for 3 months unit. All data were collected using a real-time web-based reporting system.
Results: From July 2010 through June 2011, SSI surveillance data of 18,644 cases were collected from 43 hospitals. SSIs were found to occur in 2.10% of the total cases. The SSI rates after various surgeries were as follows: 4.49%, rectal surgery; 4.41%, colon surgery; 3.50%, gastric surgery; 3.12%, craniotomy; 1.25%, abdominal hysterectomy; 0.93%, laminectomy; 0.63%, cesarean section; 0.62%, gallbladder surgery; and 0.54%, vaginal hysterectomy. The interim results of implant-related surgery are given below as SSI rates: 3.78%, ventricular shunt operation; 3.23%, coronary artery bypass graft; 2.20%, cardiac surgery; 1.31%, spinal fusion; 0.96%, knee prosthesis; and 0.88%, hip prosthesis.
Conclusion: The SSI rate was found to be 2.10% by the KONIS 2010. The maintenance of a surveillance system for SSI is very important, as it will help in decreasing SSIs via feedback to the involved surgeons and infection-control personnel.

Keywords: Surgical site infection, Surveillance, Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance