Multivariate analysis of risk factors for postoperative wound infection following oral and oropharyngeal cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to identify risk factors for wound infections in patients with oral cancer who underwent surgical procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 195 patients who underwent surgical treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancer over a 7-year period. Wound infection was defined as the occurrence of purulent content from the wound or as an appearance of exudate with signs of local infection and positive cultures taken from the wound. For every patient who was suspected to have a wound infection, a swab from the wound was taken, and microbiological analysis was performed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: patients with postoperative wound infections, and patients with postoperative wound infection. RESULTS: Wound infection was present in 155 patients (59%). Univariate analysis indicated that the following factors were significantly related to the occurrence of wound infection: gender, smoking, tumor localization, size and stage of the tumor, type of surgery, neck dissection, type of reconstruction, nasogastric sonde, gastrostomy and tracheotomy. On multivariate analysis, statistically significant predictors of wound infection were gender, tumor localization and type of reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of wound infection is high despite antibiotic prophylaxis. To minimize the risk of wound infection and for prompt recognition of risk factors, surgeons managing oral tumor patients should have a better understanding of the risk factors such as gender, tumor localization and type of reconstruction.