CDC SSI DEFINITIONS: A [VERY] QUICK REFERENCE
SUPERFICIAL INCISIONAL SSI:
Occurs within 30 days AND involves only skin and
subcutaneous tissue AND patient has at least one of:
 Purulent drainage from the superficial incision
 Organisms isolated from aseptically obtained culture
 At least one of: pain, redness, heat, localized swelling
AND the superficial incision is opened by the surgeon,
UNLESS the incision is culture negative
 Diagnosis by surgeon or attending physician
*Note: do not report stitch abscess or infection at a localized
stab wound (drain) site
DEEP INCISIONAL SSI:
Occurs within 30 days if no implant left in place, or within 1 year if implant, AND the infection appears to be related
to the operative procedure AND involves deep soft tissues (fascial and muscle layers) of the incision AND patient has
at least one of:
 Purulent drainage from the deep incision
 Deep incision spontaneously dehisces or is deliberately opened by a surgeon when the patient has as least one of
the following: fever >38 C or localized pain, UNLESS the incision is culture negative
 Evidence of abscess or infection is found on exam, during re-operation or by histopathologic/radiologic exam
 Diagnosis by surgeon or attending physician
*Note: classify infection that presents as both superficial and deep as ‘DEEP’
ORGAN/SPACE SSI:
Occurs within 30 days if no implant left in place, or within 1 year if implant, AND the infection appears to be related
to the operative procedure AND involves any part of the body, excluding the skin incision, fascia or muscle layers,
that is opened or manipulated during the operative procedure AND patient has at least one of the following:
 Purulent drainage from a drain that is placed through a stab wound into the organ/space
 Organisms from aseptically obtained culture of fluid or tissue in the organ/space
 Evidence of abscess or infection is found on exam, during re-operation or by histopathologic/radiologic exam
 Diagnosis by surgeon or attending physician
Site-specific classifications of organ/space surgical site infection:
Arterial or venous infection
Mediastinitis
Breast abscess or mastitis
Meningitis or ventriculitis
Disc space
Myocarditis or pericarditis
Ear, mastoid
Oral cavity (mouth, tongue, or gums)
Endocarditis
Osteomyelitis
Endometritis
Other infections of the lower respiratory tract (e.g.,
abscess or empyema)
Eye, other than conjunctivitis
Other male or female reproductive tract
Gastrointestinal tract
Sinusitis
Intra-abdominal, not specified elsewhere
Spinal abscess without meningitis
Intracranial, brain abscess or dura
Upper respiratory tract
Joint or bursa
Vaginal cuff
NNIS RISK (a short summary): Total the assigned values from each of these 3 categories
ASA SCORE
1, 2
3, 4, 5
VALUE
0
1
WOUND CLASSIFICATION
Clean , Clean-contaminated
Contaminated, Dirty
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Created by WRunge, Calgary Health Region 2006/06/12
VALUE
0
1
DURATION OF SURGERY (T)
Less than or = to standardized ‘T’
Greater than ‘T’
VALUE
0
1