Risk factors associated with surgical site infection and the development of short-term complications in macaques undergoing indwelling vascular access port placement

Background: Risk factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) and the development of short-term complications in macaques undergoing vascular access port (VAP) placement are evaluated in this study. Methods: Records from 80 macaques with VAPs were retrospectively reviewed. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with short-term post-operative complications. Results: The primary outcome was SSI, which occurred in 21.6% (52.6% in the first 12months vs. 13% thereafter) of procedures. SSI was associated with major secondary complications including VAP removal (11.4%), wound dehiscence (5.7%), and mechanical catheter occlusion (5.7%). In multivariate modeling, only surgical program progress was a statistically significant predictor of SSI, while animal compliance had a slightly protective effect. Conclusions: Vascular access ports have a moderate risk of complications, provided the surgical program optimizes best practices. Under complex experimental conditions, VAPs represent an important refinement, both improving animals'overall well-being and environment and reducing stress.