Objective: We aimed to evaluate the frequency and possible causes of surgical site infections (SSI) after spinal surgeries, and the efficiency of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT ) in the treatment.

Material and Method: Patients with at least 12 months of follow-up who were operated for spinal pathologies in the same institution between 2019-2021 were included in the study. The medical records of the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Age, gender, diagnosis for spinal surgery, leghth of instrumentation level, severity of SSI, preoperative hgb, postoperative hgb, preoperative albumin levels, CRP, sedimentation, culture results, num-ber of NPWTs performed, NPWT costs, wound healing time and whether revision was required were examined and the findings were recorded. The same NPWT systems were used for treatment of SSIs and same treatment algorithm was performed.

Results: A total of 269 patients were included to the study. A total 14.1% SSI was detected. Although statistically there was no relationship between the reason of spinal surgery and SSI rate, the incidence of SSI was higher among patients operated for congenital spinal pathologies (21,8%). However, for the patients having SSI; longer segments were instrumented, preoperative albumin levels were lower, and preoperative immobilization and debility were more frequent. The wounds of 33 patients were completely healed with NPWT and were closed. The severity of SSI was signifi-cantly worse in the congenital spinal pathologies and tended to be particularly worse in patients with spina bifida. Also, it was observed that, the later the SSI had appeared and the later the treatment had started, the more sever the SSI had appeared. No significant correlation was found among conge-nital spinal pathologies and healing rate of wounds with NPWT.

Conclusion: NPWT is an effective tool in treatment of SSIs after spinal surgeries. However, care must be taken for spina bifida patients before sur-gery. Because remediating the SSIs in these patients may be difficult. Longer level of instrumentation, preoperative low albumin levels and preoperative immobilization and debility are indicative factors for SSI. Careful and respectful dissection of the soft tissue, preoperative albumin replacements and early intervention of the infection may be effective to prevent and/or ease the SSIs treatment after spinal surgeris.