Scientists track gut bacteria during surgery to understand infection risk

This study aims to understand how the community of bacteria in the gut changes during abdominal surgery and whether these changes are linked to infections at the surgical site. Researchers will observe 120 patients undergoing planned abdominal surgery, collecting samples from the gut, blood, and tissues before, during, and after the procedure. The goal is to gather knowledge that could one day help prevent surgical infections, but this study itself does not test a treatment.