Risk factors for surgical site infection after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 335 patients who underwent PELD between January 2016 and January 2023. Data were derived from the Hospital Information System (HIS), and a comprehensive statistical assessment was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed a range of risk determinants, such as age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, laboratory test parameters and surgery‐related variables. The incidence of SSI after PELD was 2.7% (9/335). Univariate analysis highlighted BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, surgical time and cerebrospinal fluid leakage as significant predictors of SSI. Multivariate logistic regression identified BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, surgical time and cerebrospinal fluid leakage as significant risk factors for SSI after PELD. High BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, long surgical time and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage are predisposing factors for SSI in patients undergoing PELD. Precise interventions focused on such risk components, including careful preoperative assessment and strategic postoperative care, are essential to reduce the incidence of SSI and improve surgical efficacy.