THE RISK OF WOUND-INFECTION AFTER INGUINAL INCISION IN PEDIATRIC OUTPATIENT SURGERY

To study the risk of wound infection in pediatric outpatients, two series of children operated on with an inguinal incision during a 5.2 year period in the same department, either in day-surgery or in standard hospitalization, are compared. It appears that the frequency of inguinal wound infection is lower for outpatients (1 %; 18/1816) than for inpatients (4 %; 17/427). This difference is due, on the one hand, to the way day-surgery hospitalization functions and, on the other hand, to the difference of population produced by the criteria for selection for admission in the Day-Surgery Unit.