Surgical Site Infections (SSI)

An Introduction to Surgical Site Infections

Before the mid-19th century, surgical patients commonly developed postoperative “irritative fever,” followed by purulent drainage from their incisions, overwhelming sepsis, and often death. It was not until the late 1860s, after Joseph Lister introduced the principles of antisepsis, that postoperative infectious morbidity decreased substantially. Lister’s work radically changed surgery from an activity
associated with infection and death to a discipline that could eliminate suffering and prolong life.

Date last modified: September 27, 2005
Content source: 
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)
National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases