Evaluation of the Effect of Perioperative Blood Sugar Level on Surgical Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Total Mastectomy

Stress hyperglycemia during surgeries has been reported to increase the possibility of surgical site infections (SSIs) and worsen the patient’s prognosis.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between perioperative blood sugar level and SSIs in patients undergoing mastectomy.

In this prospective case-control study, 158 female patients undergoing mastectomy were included with diabetes as an exclusion criterion. Blood glucose levels were measured in 5 phases for each patient.

Among 158 studied patients, 8 (5.5%) developed SSIs. Four patients (2.74%) in the control group and 4 patients (50%) in the case group had hyperglycemia in at least one of the stages. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated associations between SSI development and any blood glucose value of more than 150 mg/dL. It seems that age, medical history, current smoking, tumor characteristics, previous chemoradiotherapy, surgical duration, administration of prophylactic antibiotics, and other surgical factors have not been significantly correlated with SSI.

As hyperglycemia is an easily controllable factor, the control of blood sugar levels during the perioperative period is recommended in patients undergoing breast surgeries to decrease SSI rates.