BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate various clinical parameters that would influence the occurrence of wound infection (WI) in elective laparoscopic surgery (LS) for colorectal carcinoma. METHODS The study included 290 patients who underwent LS between June 2001 and December 2005. WI was diagnosed within 30 days of the operation, and both superficial and deep incision surgical site infection were evaluated together. RESULTS Eighteen (6.2%) were diagnosed with WI. Of the infected patients, nine (50%) had WI at the extraction site, six (33%) at the port site of the drainage tube, and three (17%) at the supraumbilical incision. Following bivariate analysis, the variables of stoma creation, intraoperative hypotension, and length of operation were selected for multivariate analysis as their P values were <0.2, the predominant cutoff, and stoma creation and intraoperative hypotension were independently predictive of developing WI. Regarding the duration of postoperative hospital stay, there was no significant difference between patients with or without WI. CONCLUSIONS Stoma creation and intraoperative hypotension were independent risk factors for WI. The results obtained in this study should be considered in an effort to prevent WI in LS for colorectal carcinoma, although these risk factors need further evaluation.