Surgical site infections are the second most common type of healthcare-associated infection.

This study aimed to assess the incidence and associated risk factors of surgical site infection after implementing surgical site infection bundles in cardiac surgery.

This study employed a quantitative descriptive methodology, encompassing a retrospective analysis of surgical site infection incidence following cardiac surgeries. It also included a prospective experimental approach to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical site infection bundles compared to routine care, conducted across hospitals in the West Bank. In total, 222 cardiac surgery patients were included in this study.

Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery, 70% underwent coronary artery bypass graft. Furthermore, males were the majority (70.3%), and 45% were either overweight or obese. Hypertension was the higher prevalent chronic disease (72.5%). The incidence rate of surgical site infection was 7.2%. Adherence to the surgical prophylaxis protocol (Bundle) was associated with a reduction in surgical site infection rates, and the incidence of surgical site infection was higher among the conventional group compared with surgical site infection bundle group (10.9% vs. 3.6%). Higher mean level of glucose, high BMI, and having respiratory chronic disease were factors associated with surgical site infection in patients who underwent cardiac surgery.

Adherence to the surgical prophylaxis protocol (Bundle) was associated with a reduction in surgical site infection rates.