OBJECTIVE: The spinal surgeries performed in patients with myelomeningocele are at higher risk of postoperative infection. We made an epidemiological survey of these infections and factors possibly associated to establish risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective review of data from spinal surgeries performed in patients with myelomeningocele, in the Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente -AACD/Hospital Abreu Sodré. The comparison of possible risk factors evaluated was made by Fisher's exact test. Results were considered significant at p<0.05. RESULTS: We evaluated 27 surgical procedures with a total of 7 cases of postoperative surgical site infection (25.92%). Five of these patients with surgical site infection had concomitant urinary tract infection (UTI) with p=0.004. We found no statistical significance for the other factors evaluated: surgical approaches, type of procedure and total serum lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: UTI is related to surgical site infection, but we need a prospective study with more cases to clarify this risk factor with a possible confounding factor: the nutritional and immunologic status.
Meningomyelocele; Spine; Postoperative complications; Infection; Risk factors
