Objective:

To gauge the effectiveness of a preventive model of surgical site infections into a hospital of second level attention in Nuevo León, Mexico.

Methods:

A preventive actions model was designed, focused to reduce the rate of surgical site infections, which were made during the preoperative, transoperative and postoperative moments. The risk factors for the acquisition of surgical infection were observed, looked out, monitored and controlled using checklists.

Results:

It was possible to reduce the rate of surgical sire infections in 3%, decreasing the number of cases considerably compared to the previous similar period of the study. More attachment to the preventive model, smaller cases of infection (r=-0.61, p <0.05).

Conclusions:

A strict model of preventive actions like observation, surveillance, monitoring and control of risk factors for infections of surgical place, it could be effective in the decrease of the rate of surgi-cal wound infections.