31,780 surgeries, 0 infections: Victoria Hospital’s trauma centre sets benchmark in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: In a rare achievement for a govt hospital, the trauma and emergency care centre (TECC) at Victoria Hospital here has not reported a single case of surgical site infection since it began performing surgeries back in 2017. Between 2017 and 2025, the centre performed a total of 31,780 surgeries across various specialties — general, orthopaedic, plastic and neurosurgery.A surgical site infection occurs at or near the area of surgery within 30 days of operation and can range from mild wound issues to serious, life-threatening complications, especially if not detected early. In govt hospitals, the incidence of such infections can range between 5% and 20%, depending on the surgical site. A report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), released in 2025, stated the overall surgical site infection rate in the country was around 5.2%, while for orthopaedic surgeries, it was about 5.4%.Dr Asima Banu, special officer, TECC, said: "This is a rarity, and we are probably the first institution to achieve a zero-surgical-site-infection feat. This was made possible by our hygiene practices, appropriate antibiotic usage, and continuous monitoring by our infection control nurses department." The centre's efforts are also expected to be published in medical journals.To sustain this trend and to improve post-surgical care, TECC — which is affiliated with Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) — will be getting ICMR's Integrated Reference Diagnostic Laboratory (IRDL), a first for South India. The laboratory will enable faster and more accurate identification of infections, antibiotic sensitivity testing, surveillance of hospital infection trends and early detection of outbreaks. Dr Asima Banu said the lab is expected to be inaugurated soon.TECC provides round-the-clock emergency treatment for critical cases, including accidents, cardiac events and severe injuries. In 2025, the 60-bed facility saw 70,993 outpatients and recorded 48,024 inpatient admissions.