Surgical Site Infection (SSI)

A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Surgical site infections can sometimes be superficial infections involving the skin only. Other surgical site infections are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material. CDC provides guidelines and tools to the healthcare community to help end surgical site infections and resources to help the public understand these infections and take measures to safeguard their own health when possible.

Resources for Patients and Healthcare Providers

• Frequently Asked Questions about Surgical Site Infection (SSI)
• CDC Feature: Having Surgery? What You Should Know Before You Go
• Strategies to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update

Monitoring SSIs

CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network Patient Safety Component includes surveillance methods to identify and track procedure-associated infections, such as Surgical site infection.