Skip to main content

Lower Extremities Have Highest Surgical Site Infection Rates With Mohs Surgery

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2023 -- Lower extremities have the highest rates of surgical site infections following Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), according to a research letter published online June 24 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Ailynna Chen, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, and colleagues conducted a systematic review to provide a quantitative estimate of SSI rates across different MMS closure techniques with stratification by body site.

Based on 27 included reports, the researchers identified 2,252 flap/graft closures; 3,818 primary closures; and 1,434 secondary intention healing cases. The researchers observed a significant difference between body sites, with lower extremities having the highest SSI rates across all closure types. For head and neck, the pooled SSI rates were 0.01 for flap/graft closures, <0.01 for primary closure, and <0.01 for secondary intention healing; for lower extremity SSI, the corresponding rates were 0.11, 0.05, and 0.04. Except for one study with high risk of bias, studies had low-to-moderate risk of bias.

"While previous studies suggest that heightened sterility practices (i.e., sterile gloves, single-use instruments, antibiotic prophylaxis) are generally unnecessary for MMS, closure type, body site, and other patient characteristics should also be considered," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted July 2023

Read this next

ASCO: Neoadjuvant Ipilimumab + Nivolumab Ups Survival in Resectable Melanoma

WEDNESDAY, June 5, 2024 -- Neoadjuvant ipilimumab plus nivolumab followed by surgery results in longer event-free survival than surgery followed by adjuvant nivolumab among...

Odds of Death Lower With Surgery for Hip Fracture in Patients With Dementia

MONDAY, June 3, 2024 -- For community-dwelling patients with dementia and fracture of the femoral head and neck, the odds of death are lower for those treated surgically...

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.