Classification of Wounds

Clean: 

• nontraumatic, no break in technique, no tract entered.
• Infection rate: 1.5 – 2.9%

Clean contaminated: 

• GI or resp tract entered without significant spillage, oropharynx, vagina, or noninfected GU or biliary tract entered, minor break in technique.
• Infection rate: 2.8 – 7.7%

Contaminated: 

• major break in technique, fresh traumatic wound, gross spillage from GI tract, entrance into GU or biliary tree in presence of infection.
• Infection rate: 6.4 – 15.2%

Dirty: 

• pus encountered, traumatic wound with retained devitalized tissue, foreign bodies, fecal contamination, or delayed treatment, or from a dirty source.  This definition suggests that organisms were present in the operative field before the operation.