Predictors of surgical site infection in dirty urological surgery

Objectives:   Risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following urologic dirty operations have not been clearly identified. This study was conducted to describe incidence, potential risk factors and common causative pathogens of the SSI in such operations.
Methods:   Medical records of patients who had undergone simple nephrectomy or lumbotomy for suppurative renal infection at our institutions from 1999 to 2006 were retrospectively evaluated. The following data were retrieved: presence of SSI, demographic data, laboratory findings, comorbidities, microbiological data, type of renal suppuration, type of urological surgery and antibiotic regimen. Risk factors for SSI were evaluated using the multiple logistic regression model.
Results:   Sixty-five patients (mean age 55.6 ± 13.1 years) were eligible for data analysis. In 20 of them (30.8%) a SSI was identified. The most common isolated pathogens were gram-negative bacteria. At univariate logistic regression analysis risk factors significantly associated with SSI included: presence of emphysematous infection, hypoalbuminemia, number of predisposing conditions, emergency operations, isolation of Enterobacteriaceae, positive pus culture. The use of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was associated with a decreased risk for SSI. Multiple logistic model identified only the emergency operations and isolated Enterobacteriaceae as independent predictors of SSI (odds ratio [OR] = 11.1) (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.0–40.8) and OR = 3.9 (1.0–14.8), respectively.
Conclusions:   Patients with suppurative renal infections are submitted to life-saving emergency surgery. Urological surgeons should keep in mind that this carries a high risk for subsequent SSI. Effective preventive measures in these circumstance cannot be identified. Further research in this area is necessary to clarify this issue.     

High prevalence of febrile urinary tract infections after paediatric renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Adult data suggest that urinary tract infections occur frequently after renal transplantation (RTx) and contribute to mortality and graft loss; data in children are limited. Therefore, we evaluated prevalence, short and long-term morbidity and confounding factors of febrile UTI (fUTI) after paediatric RTx. METHODS: In a retrospective cross-sectional study of three centres, we analysed data on 110 children followed for 4.9+/-3.4 years after successful transplantation. RESULTS: 40/110 (36%) patients had at least one fUTI at a median time of 0.98 years (range 0.02-8.96) after RTx; 11 patients (28%) had recurrent fUTI. Serum creatinine (SCr) rose significantly from 1.15+/-1.13 to 1.83+/-1.69 mg/dl, (P<0.001) during the fUTI, declining to baseline values after treatment. At the last followed-up calculated mean, GFR was comparable between fUTI and non-fUTI groups (75+/-26 vs 71+/-22 ml/min/1.73 m2). During fUTI mean, C-reactive protein (CRP) increased to 123+/-75 mg/l. Febrile UTI were significantly more frequent in girls compared to boys (22/44 vs 18/66, P<0.05) but occurred significantly earlier in boys than in girls [median 0.63 (range 0.02-4.15) vs 1.07 (0.04-8.96) years after RTx; P<0.02]. Also, patients with urinary tract malformations (UTMs) and neurogenic bladder as underlying diagnosis and those with urological surgery prior to transplantation had an increased risk for fUTI. CONCLUSION: fUTI is a frequent complication with significant short-term morbidity especially in girls and children with UTMs, neurogenic bladder and those with urological surgery. Long-term follow-up and prospective studies confirming specific risk factors, preventive measures and impact on graft survival are necessary.     

Challenges in reporting surgical site infections to the national surgical site infection surveillance and suggestions for improvement

IntroductionMandatory orthopaedic surgical site infection (SSI) data in England are used as a benchmark to compare infection rates between participating hospitals. According to the national guidelines, trusts are required to submit their data for at least one quarter of the year but they are free to report for all quarters. Owing to this ambiguity, there is a concern about robust reporting across trusts and therefore the accuracy of these data. There is also concern about the accuracy of collection methods. The aim of this five-year retrospective study was to assess the accuracy of SSI reporting at two hospitals in South East England under the same trust.MethodsA retrospective review was carried out of five years of electronic medical records, microbiology data and readmission data of all patients who underwent hip and knee replacement surgery at these hospitals. These data were validated with the data submitted to Public Health England (PHE) and any discrepancy between the two was noted.ResultsA significant difference was found in the SSI rates reported by the surveillance staff and our retrospective method.ConclusionsOur study confirms the findings of a national survey, which raised concerns about the quality of SSI reporting and the usefulness of PHE SSI data for benchmarking purposes. To our knowledge, there are no previously published studies that have looked at the accuracy of the English orthopaedic SSI surveillance. In the light of our findings, there is an urgent need for external validation studies to identify the extent of the problem in the surveillance scheme. The governing bodies should also issue clear guidelines for reporting SSIs to maintain homogeneity and to present the true incidence of SSI. We suggest some measures that we have instituted to address these inadequacies that have led to significant improvements in reporting at our trust.     

Summary of the UAA‐AAUS guidelines for urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections, genital tract infections and sexually transmitted infections are the most prevalent infectious diseases, and the establishment of locally optimized guidelines is critical to provide appropriate treatment. The Urological Association of Asia has planned to develop the Asian guidelines for all urological fields, and the present urinary tract infections, genital tract infections and sexually transmitted infections guideline was the second project of the Urological Association of Asia guideline development, which was carried out by the Asian Association of Urinary Tract Infection and Sexually Transmitted Infection. The members have meticulously reviewed relevant references, retrieved via the PubMed and MEDLINE databases, published between 2009 through 2015. The information identified through the literature review of other resources was supplemented by the author. Levels of evidence and grades of recommendation for each management were made according to the relevant strategy. If the judgment was made on the basis of insufficient or inadequate evidence, the grade of recommendation was determined on the basis of committee discussions and resultant consensus statements. Here, we present a short English version of the original guideline, and overview its key clinical issues.     

Efficacy of ciprofloxacin in urinary tract infections and risk factors for ciprofloxacin-resistant infections

Objectives : The study was undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of sequential intravenous and oral ciprofloxacin in the treatment of moderate-to-severe urinary tract infections (UTI), and to identify risk factors for acquiring UTI caused by ciprofloxacin-resistant organisms. Materials and Methods : Using a prospective, open, single-centre study design, hospitalized patients with a clinical diagnosis of moderately severe UTI were enrolled. After a minimum of 3 days of intravenous ciprofloxacin, patients were switched to oral therapy. Assessment for response and analysis of risk factors were performed at the end of therapy. Results : Between December 1996 and November 1997, a total of 66 patients met the criteria for efficacy evaluation. Among the 55 patients with ciprofloxacin-sensitive organisms, 51 patients (93%) were cured. Persisting infection was noted in three patients (5%) and one patient (2%) was re-infected with a ciprofloxacin-resistant organism. Of the organisms isolated, 14 (19%) were resistant to ciprofloxacin. The presence of prostatic obstruction (odds ratio 6.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–28.30, P = 0.02) and recurrent UTI (odds ratio 8.63, 95% CI 1.81–41.17, P = 0.007) were independently associated with infections caused by ciprofloxacin-resistant organisms. Adverse events were reported in 5 patients (8%) but no premature discontinuation or mortality was documented. Conclusion : Sequential therapy with oral therapy after initial parenteral ciprofloxacin is safe and effective in the management of moderate-to-severe UTI in appropriately selected patients.      

Recurrent urinary tract infections in healthy and nonpregnant women

Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTI) are prevalent and pose significant clinical challenges. Although the term RUTI has long been vaguely defined, a consensus definition has emerged in recent years. The exact etiology behind RUTI remains under debate, with valid arguments for both ascending reinfections as well as persistent infection inside the bladder. These persistent infections exist in the form of quiescent intracellular reservoirs in the mouse model and may represent a novel concept to explain UTI recurrence in humans. Manageable risk factors such as behavioral patterns alongside nonmanageable risk factors including genetic susceptibility are growing fields of investigation. Acute UTI have been studied through two model bacterial strains: Escherichia coli UTI89 and CFT073. However, the clinical relevance to RUTI of these two strains has not been firmly established. Current treatment strategies for RUTI are limited and remain dominated by antibiotic usage despite variable efficacy. The majority of studies in humans have focused on younger groups of women with little information available about the postmenopausal population despite a heightened risk of RUTI in this age group.     

Surgical site infections: reanalysis of risk factors

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) are the most common nosocomial infection in surgical patients, accounting for 38% of all such infections, and are a significant source of postoperative morbidity resulting in increased hospital length of stay and increased cost. During 1986-1996 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system reported 15,523 SSI following 593,344 operations (2.6%). Previous studies have documented patient characteristics associated with an increased risk of SSI, including diabetes, tobacco or steroid use, obesity, malnutrition, and perioperative blood transfusion. In this study we sought to reevaluate risk factors for SSI in a large cohort of noncardiac surgical patients. METHODS: Prospective data (NSQIP) were collected on 5031 noncardiac surgical patients at the Veteran's Administration Maryland Healthcare System from 1995 to 2000. All preoperative risk factors were evaluated as independent predictors of surgical site infection. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cohort was 61 plus minus 13. SSI occurred in 162 patients, comprising 3.2% of the study cohort. Gram-positive organisms were the most common bacterial etiology. Multiple logistic regression analysis documented that diabetes (insulin- and non-insulin-dependent), low postoperative hematocrit, weight loss (within 6 months), and ascites were significantly associated with increased SSI. Tobacco use, steroid use, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were not predictors for SSI. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that diabetes and malnutrition (defined as significant weight loss 6 months prior to surgery) are significant preoperative risk factors for SSI. Postoperative anemia is a significant risk factor for SSI. In contrast to prior analyses, this study has documented that tobacco use, steroid use, and COPD are not independent predictors of SSI. Future SSI studies should target early preoperative intervention and optimization of patients with diabetes and malnutrition.     

上尿路结石治疗中合并真菌感染患者的临床特点和治疗策略

目的探讨上尿路结石治疗中合并真菌感染患者的临床特点、手术时机及抗菌药物的合理应用。方法回顾性分析2017年4月至2019年4月北京同仁医院收治的4例在上尿路结石治疗过程中出现真菌感染的患者。例1男性,55岁,既往有糖尿病、高血压病、多次体外碎石史。因发热性尿路感染收入肾内科,抗菌治疗期间发现右输尿管结石,转泌尿外科行输尿管镜碎石术后出现发热及真菌性败血症。例2女性,48岁,既往有糖尿病、高血压病。外院右肾经皮肾镜碎石术后出现尿频、尿急,尿常规检查示白细胞满视野,尿细菌培养为白色假丝酵母菌。口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,治疗2周症状消失,尿细菌培养转阴。停用氟康唑后2~4周症状复发并尿细菌培养结果转阳,病情反复迁延1年。我院CT检查示双肾多发小结石,右肾结石为残石或复发无法明确。例3男性,74岁,既往有糖尿病、高血压病、高脂血症、乙状结肠癌根治术后。左侧输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术后出现尿频、尿急、尿痛,尿常规检查示白细胞满视野,尿细菌培养为白色假丝酵母菌,依据药敏口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,治疗2周后症状略有缓解但尿细菌培养不转阴,停用氟康唑后症状加重,病情迁延1.5年,CT检查示左肾下盏结石。例4男性,47岁,既往体健。左肾结石术后反复尿频、尿急、尿痛0.5年,尿常规检查示白细胞满视野,尿细菌培养为热带假丝酵母菌,合并左肾铸型结石。结果例1患者输尿管镜钬激光碎石术后出现真菌血流感染,予静脉滴注氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,抗真菌治疗后体温正常,出院后1周出现真菌性眼内炎于眼科继续治疗。例2患者一期行双侧输尿管支架管置入引流,同时口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,治疗2周后行双侧输尿管软镜碎石术,术后尿路真菌感染治愈。例3患者行左侧输尿管支架管置入引流,同时采用两性霉素B、氟康唑抗真菌治疗,体温正常后行输尿管软镜钬激光碎石术,但术后口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,抗真菌治疗仅至术后1周,导致左肾盂内真菌球形成并二次行输尿管软镜手术清除肾盂内真菌球,术后予口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,配合氟康唑300 mg肾盂内持续滴注1周,最终治愈。例4患者行经皮肾造瘘引流配合口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,2周后行经皮肾镜超声碎石术,术后持续口服氟康唑200 mg,每日1次,至支架管拔除、尿细菌培养转阴,患者治愈。结论糖尿病是上尿路结石合并真菌感染的高危因素。对于此类患者如不彻底清除结石,真菌感染难以控制,术后易复发。应在抗真菌治疗的基础上清除结石,术后应持续抗真菌治疗直至尿路支架管拔除后至少2周。真菌血流感染诊断后的1周内应行眼科检查筛查眼内炎,明确有无组织播散,以决定疗程。     

A new silver dressing,StopBac, used in the prevention of surgical site infections

Ideal dressings of surgical wounds should provide moist, semi-permeable, and antiseptic environments for optimal wound healing. To maximise patient comfort, surgical dressings must be hypoallergenic, not restrict movement, and allow patients to manage their personal hygiene. From the aspect of health care personnel, dressings should enable visual monitoring of the wound without the need for removing them, thus reducing the number of dressing changes. The active antimicrobial effect of silver cations has been demonstrated by many studies. StopBac is a unique surgical dressing based on the sol-gel process. Silver cations are bound in a colloidal solution in an organic-inorganic hybrid organosilicate oligomer. This gel is deposited on a pad using spray atomisation. The result is a polymer nanolayer matrix with prolonged and controlled release of silver ions. This pad forms part of a waterproof hypoallergenic transparent adhesive bandage. The goal of this study was to prospectively evaluate the ability of StopBac to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients after abdominal surgery. The secondary goal was to compare costs and determine the properties of this new material. A total of 32 patients were included in the study. The patients were followed up until their surgical wounds healed completely. An SSI occurred only in one patient.     

Incidence and risk factors for surgical site infection after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy using a locking T-shape plate

Medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) is a well-established surgical method for treatment of isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis with varus deformity, but the surgical outcomes may be compromised by surgical site infection (SSI). This study aimed to investigate the incidence and the risk factors for SSI after MOWHTO. This retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent MOWHTO for isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis with varus deformity in two tertiary referral hospitals from January 2019 and June 2021. Patients who developed SSI within 12 months of surgery were identified by inquiring the medical records for index hospitalisation, notes of after-discharge outpatient visits, or records of readmission for treatment of SSI. Univariate comparisons were performed to detect the differences between SSI and non-SSI groups, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors. Six hundred sixteen patients with 708 procedures were included and 30 (4.2%) cases of SSI occurred, with 0.6% rate for deep SSI and 3.6% for superficial. Univariate analyses showed significant difference between groups in terms of morbidity obesity (≥32 kg/m²) (20.0% vs 8.9%), comorbid diabetes (26.7% vs 11.1%), active smoking (20.0% vs 6.3%), time from admission to operation (5.2 ± 4.0 vs 4.1 ± 3.0), size of osteotomy ≥12 mm (40.0% vs 20.0%), type of bone grafting and lymphocyte count (2.1 ± 0.5 vs 1.9 ± 0.6). However, in the multivariate analysis, only active smoking (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.4-10.2), size of osteotomy ≥12 mm (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.3-5.9) and allogeneic/artificial vs no bone grafting (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0-10.8) remained significant. SSI was not uncommon after MOWHTO, but the majority was superficial. The identified three independent factors, including smoking, size of osteotomy ≥12 mm and allogeneic/artificial bone grafting would help risk assessment and stratification, target risk factor modification and clinical surveillance, and inform patient counselling.     

Surgical site infections in thyroid and parathyroid surgery in Japan: An analysis of the Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance database from 2013 to 2020

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after thyroid surgery are rare complications, with incidence rates of 0.3%–1.6%. Using a Japanese database, we conducted exploratory analyses on the incidence of SSIs, investigated the incidence of SSIs by the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance risk index, and identified the causative bacteria of SSIs. SSIs occurred in 50 (0.7%) of 7388 thyroid surgery cases. Risk index-0 patients had the lowest incidence rate of SSIs (0.41%). The incidence of SSIs in risk index-1 patients was 3.05 times the incidence of SSIs in risk index-0 patients. The rate of SSI occurrence for risk index-2 patients was 4.22 times the rate of SSI occurrence for risk index-0 patients. Thirty-one bacterial species were identified as the cause of SSIs in thyroid surgery cases, of which 12 (38.7%) SSIs were caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Of the nine SSIs caused by Staphylococcus aureus, 55.6% (five cases) were attributed to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, routine prophylactic antibiotic administration should be avoided, while the target for administration should be narrowed, according to the SSI risk. Administration of prophylactic antibiotics, such as 2 g piperacillin or 1 g cefazolin, is considered appropriate.     

Essential Japanese guidelines for the prevention of perioperative infections in the urological field: 2015 edition

After publication of the initial version of the Japanese guidelines for urological surgery in 2007, new surgical techniques have been introduced. Furthermore, several important issues, such as criteria for use of single‐dose antimicrobial prophylaxis and control of hospitalized infection, were also established, which led to alterations of the methods used for antimicrobial prophylaxis as well as perioperative management. The purpose of antimicrobial prophylaxis is to protect the surgical wound from contamination by normal bacterial flora. Antimicrobial prophylaxis should be based on penicillins with beta‐lactamase inhibitors, or first‐ or second‐generation cephalosporins, though penicillins without beta‐lactamase inhibitors should not be prescribed because of the high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. As an adequate intratissue concentration of the antimicrobial at the surgical site should be accomplished by the time of initiation of surgery, antimicrobial prophylaxis should be started up to 30 min before beginning the operation. Antimicrobial prophylaxis should be terminated within 24 h in clean and clean‐contaminated surgery, and within 2 days of surgery using the bowels, because a longer duration is a risk factor for surgical site infection development. Importantly, possible risk factors for surgical site infections include the antimicrobial prophylaxis methodology used as well as others, such as duration of preoperative hospitalization, hand washing, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, diabetes and smoking history. These guidelines are to be applied only for preoperatively non‐infected low‐risk patients. In cases with preoperative infection or bacteriuria that can cause a surgical site infection or urinary tract infection after surgery, patients must receive adequate preoperative treatment based on the individual situation.     

Altered patterns of posttransplant urinary tract infections associated with perioperative antibiotics and curtailed catheterization

Postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) in renal transplant patients were studied before and after introduction of a protocol requiring single-dose perioperative antibiotics and earlier catheter removal. The overall incidence of UTIs was reduced from 55.4% to 26%. The most dramatic reduction was in nondiabetic males, from 56% to 8.2%. There was a small but statistically insignificant reduction in infection rates in females. There was no change in the rate of infection in diabetics. The incidences of noncoliform and mixed infections, in the group as a whole, were dramatically reduced from 42.9% to 12%, but Escherichia coli infections were totally unaffected. This protocol exposed the special susceptibility of women and diabetics to posttransplant UTIs and the different pathogenesis of E coli versus noncoliform infections. These features need more study.     

Prevention of surgical site infection by antibiotic spraying in the operative field during cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVE: Despite the many procedures introduced to prevent surgical site infection during cardiothoracic surgery, serious infections still occur. We attempted to reduce surgical site infection by spraying antibiotic solution in the operative field--a procedure since introduced at 4 other Japanese institutions. METHODS: In the latter half of 1990, we began spraying an antibiotic solution of cefazolin (1g) and gentamicin (40 mg)/40 ml of saline placed in a 50 ml syringe and dispensed through an 18 G needle bent at 60 to 80 degrees to clean the wound during surgery. RESULT: No deep surgical site infections or deaths due to infection have occurred among the 502 patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass at our hospital. This method was used in over 2,100 cases of similar procedures at 4 other institutions. There were 3 deaths due to severe surgical site infection (0.11%). At one institution treating over 1,000 cases a year, the incidence of death due to surgical site infection decreased significantly after this method was introduced. CONCLUSION: These preliminary experiences show that spraying antibiotic solution in the operative field reduces the risk of surgical site infection in cardiothoracic surgery.