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Background and Objective: Surgical wound infection is the most common complication following surgery. This study was done to determine the incidence risk factors of surgical wound infection following abdominal hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was done on 400 patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy in Babol, North of Iran, during 2008-10. Age, underlying disease, BMI, use of immunosuppressive drugs hospitalization period prior to surgery, shaving and bath time, prophylactic antibiotic, duration of surgery, diagnosis and pathology were recorded for each patient. Evidence of surgical location of infection including surgical discharge, erythema and dehiscence of surgical wound with and without fever during 10 days after surgery were recorded. Results: Surgical wound infection was seen in 26 patients (6.5%) following abdominal hysterectomy. Regression analysis determined, use of immune-suppressive (95% CI: 1.71-480.30, P=0.020, OR:28.70) and emergency operation (95% CI: 1.42-14.39, P=0.011, OR: 4.52), diabetes (95% CI: 1.23-11.26, P=0.020, OR:3.72) were risk factors for surgical wound infection. Conclusion: Immuno-suppressive agents, emergency operation and diabetes increased surgical wound infection in post- abdominal hysterectomy.

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Background and Objective: Hysterectomy is stressful in women operation, due to increased release the level of catecholamines some physiological reactions including increase in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure are clinically observed. Massage therapy helps to improve the nervous and cardiovascular system and modifies physiological responses. This study was done to determine the effect of foot massage on the vital signs of patients after hysterectomy.
Methods: In this clinical trial study 60 women underway hysterectomy were randomly divided into intervention (n=28) and control (n=29) groups. Subjects in intervention group were received a
20 minute foot massage according to the mentioned method in two sessions first and second day after surgery, with 24-hours interval. Before and 30 minutes after intervention , vital sign including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse, breathing were recorded for each subject.
Results: In the intervention group, all of the signs of vital signs before and after massage in the first and second days after the operation showed a significant decrease (P<0.05). The number of pulses and diastolic blood pressure in the first and second day after surgery and systolic blood pressure on the second day in the control group showed a significant reduction (P<0.05). At the end of the first day after the intervention group, the systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Foot massage improves systolic blood pressure and breathing at the first day after hysterectomy, which may indicate an increase in parasympathetic activity.