Surgical wound
classification
Definition
Infection rate with
prophylaxis
Clean
(No viscus opened)
No inflammation is encountered during surgery
1-2
Infection rate
without
prophylaxis
1-2
3
6-9
6
13-20
7
40
No break in sterile technique
Clean-contaminated
(Open viscus with
minimal spillage)
Contaminated
(Open viscus with spillage
lr inflammatory disease)
Dirty or infected
(Pus, perforation or
incision through an
abscess)
Respiratory, GIT, GUT not entered
RT, GIT, GUT entered under controlled conditions (but no with
contamination encountered)
Major break in sterile technique
Or gross spillage from GIT
Or acute, non purulent inflammation is encountered
(Open traumatic wounds that are more than 12 to 24 hours old also fall
into this category.)
Viscera are perforated
Or when acute inflammation with pus is encountered (e.g. emergency
surgery for fecal peritonitis)
Or traumatic wounds
if Rx is delayed
If there is fecal contamination
If devitalised tissue is. Present