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Surgical Site Infections (SSI)

What is a surgical site infection?

A surgical site infection, or SSI, is an infection that a person may acquire after having surgery. The infection occurs in the part of the body where the surgery was performed. SSIs can be superficial infections, involving the skin only, or can be more serious and involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material.

Whats the Solution

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

Additional Resources


Indiana Department of Health

SSI Quick Facts

Indiana Hospital Association (IHA)

IHA SSI Resources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Toolkit to Promote Safe Surgery

Additional Resources


Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC)

CDC SSI webpage

CDC's Frequently Asked Questions about SSIs

CDC Guidelines for Prevention, 2017

Page reviewed and updated: March 2022