Surgical site infections (SSIs) after spinal surgery are linked to significant morbidity and long-term complications. This nested case-control study, conducted between 2001 and 2003 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, aimed to study the epidemiology of these infections in Lebanon. Cases were patients who developed SSI within 30 days of surgery, while controls had no infection. The incidence of SSIs was 2.7% (27 cases among 997 surgeries). Cases were older (mean age 59 vs 47 y, p=0.001) and more likely to have diabetes (OR = 4.0; 95% CI 1.2-12.8) and foreign body implantation (OR = 3.4; 95% CI 1.3-9.3). Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common isolated organisms. Hospital stay was significantly longer for cases. The study concluded that SSI rates were comparable to worldwide rates, but there was an unjustified overuse of prophylactic antibiotics, which could lead to antimicrobial resistance.
