ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence and risk factors of surgical site infection(SSI) in neurosurgical patients in a tertiary firstclass hospital,and provide reference for the prevention and control of SSI.Methods47 neurological patients with SSI (49 patients developed SSI, 2 were excluded from study due to the lack of appropriate control subject)  from December 31, 2011 to December 31,2012 were as infected group, and 94 patients without SSI (1∶2 matching) were as noninfected group, risk factors for SSI were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsThere was no significant difference in general condition of two groups of patients (all P>0.05); among 3 708 patients, 49(1.32%) developed SSI; intracranial infection was the main type of SSI (89.80%)；27 patients were performed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bacteriological detection, 6 (22.22%) of whom were positive for CSF bacteriological detection. Univariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors for SSI in neurosurgical patients were operational risk assessment score （OR=2.04）,frequency of preoperative antimicrobial use（OR=3.15）, frequency of intraoperative antimicrobial use（OR=2.58）, duration of operation（OR=2.70）,surgical blood loss（OR=1.72）,indwelling drainage tube（OR=4.30）, duration of indwelling drainage tube after operation（OR=2.06）, and time for initial dressing change（OR=1.66）; Multivariate  conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for SSI were frequency of preoperative antimicrobial use（P=0.03，OR=4.86）,  duration of operation（P=0.05，OR=2.89）, and time for initial dressing change after operation （P=0.01，OR=1.92）.ConclusionRisk factors  for SSI in department of neurosurgery are multiple, duration of operation, duration of indwelling drainage tube after operation, and time for initial dressing change after operation are major risk factors.