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Surgical Site Infection in Spinal Surgery: Description of Surgical and Patient-Based Risk Factors for Postoperative Infection Using Administrative Claims Data
Spine, 07/06/2012
Abdul–Jabbar A et al. – Used individually, diagnosis–related group, current procedural terminology, and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD–9) codes cannot completely capture a patient population. Using an algorithm combining all 3 coding systems to generate both inclusion and exclusion criteria, the authors were able to analyze a specific population of spinal surgery patients within a high–volume medical center. Within that group, risk factors found to increase infection rates were isolated and can serve to focus hospital–wide efforts to decrease surgery–related morbidity and improve patient outcomes.
