Table 1.

Risk Factors for SSIs After Cardiac Surgery^22,26-29

Preoperative Risk Factors	Intra- and Postoperative Risk Factors
• Obesity	• Pedicled internal thoracic artery
• Stroke	• Postoperative hemorrhage
• Heart failure	• Emergency surgery
• Diabetes	• Steroids
• Advanced age	• Prolonged mechanical ventilation
• Atrial fibrillation	• Use of intra-aortic  counterpulsation devices
• Smoking
• Peripheral vascular disease	• Redo surgery
• Renal failure	• Blood transfusion
• Cardiogenic shock	• Postoperative hemorrhage
• Myocardial infarction	• Closure performed by an  assistant
	• Tracheostomy*
	• Prolonged perfusion times

^*According to recent studies, early tracheostomy does not increase the risk of DSWIs.³⁰