SUPERFICIAL INCISIONAL SSI (1)    PERIOPERATIVE OCCURRENCE CATEGORY (136.5)

Definition Revised (2004):
 - At least one of the following signs or symptoms of infection: pain
   or tenderness, localized swelling, redness, or heat and superficial
   incision is deliberately opened by the surgeon, unless incision is
   culture-negative.  
 - Diagnosis of superficial incisional SSI by the surgeon or attending
   physician.  
 
Do not report the following conditions as SSI:
 - Stitch abscess (minimal inflammation and discharge confined to the
   points of suture penetration).
Superficial incisional SSI is an infection that occurs within 30 days 
 - Infected burn wound.
 - Incisional SSI that extends into the fascial and muscle layers (see
   deep incisional SSI).
after the operation and infection involves only skin or subcutaneous 
tissue of the incision and at least one of the following:
 
 - Purulent drainage, with or without laboratory confirmation, from the
   superficial incision.
 - Organisms isolated from an aseptically obtained culture of fluid or
   tissue from the superficial incision.