ObjectiveTo analyze the direct and indirect economic loss due to surgical site infection(SSI) in neurosurgery department.MethodsA 1:1 matched casecontrol study was used to investigate patients who underwent neurosurgical operation in a hospital from January 2014 to December 2015, the median was used for description, Wilcoxon ranksum test was used for comparison.ResultsA total of 24 patients with SSI and 24 patients without SSI were included in the study. The total hospitalization expense in infection group was significantly different from that in control group (79 066.66 yuan vs 36 139.03 yuan, Z=-3.650, P<0.001). Compared with control group, the average expense of Western medicine in infection group increased by 21 409.11 yuan per case (expense of antimicrobial agents was 12 049.90 yuan), accounting for 49.87% of the total increased expense in each case. The indirect economic loss of hospital due to prolongation of average length of hospital stay resulting from SSI was 2 569.58 yuan, indirect loss of patient’s charge for loss of working time was 752.05 yuan, the total economic loss caused by SSI was 46 249.26 yuan per case.ConclusionSSI following neurosurgical operation prolongs length of hospital stay of patients, bring economic losses to both hospitals and patients.