Cephradine prophylaxis in transurethral procedures for carcinoma of the bladder

The value of cephradine prophylaxis in reducing urinary infection was assessed in 243 patients undergoing endoscopy for bladder carcinoma. Patients were randomised either to receive 3 peri-operative doses of cephradine or to receive no antibiotic. Urine specimens taken on the fifth post-operative day showed a significantly lower urinary infection rate in those patients receiving cephradine prophylaxis.     

Oral ciprofloxacin as prophylaxis for optical urethrotomy

It is known that urethral strictures predispose to bacteriuria. We studied a series of patients undergoing optical urethrotomy to see if antibiotic prophylaxis was justified. Twenty-three patients were randomised to receive either no prophylaxis or a short peri-operative course of oral ciprofloxacin. Two patients with sterile pre-operative urine and two patients with pre-operative bacteriuria given no prophylaxis had post-operative bacteriuria, whereas all patients given ciprofloxacin had sterile urine after operation. Antibiotic prophylaxis may be indicated in patients undergoing optical urethrotomy.     

CAGS and ACS Evidence Based Reviews In Surgery. 37: Is there a role for prophylactic antibiotics in the prevention of urinary tract infections following Foley catheter removal in patients having abdominal surgery?

Question: Does the use of antibiotic prophylaxis at urinary catheter removal reduce the rate of urinary tract infection? Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Single centre in Basel, Switzerland. Patients: A total of 239 patients between January 2005 and September 2007 were randomly assigned into 2 groups by an online randomization generator. Intervention: Patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with planned perioperative urethral catheterization were assigned at admission to receive either 960 mg of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole orally the night before and twice on the day of catheter removal or no antibiotic prophylaxis. Urinary cultures were obtained before and 3 days after catheter removal. Main outcome measures: Occurrence of symptomatic urinary tract infection (based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions) after catheter removal. Results: Patients who received antibiotic pro-phylaxis experienced significantly fewer urinary tract infections than those who did not (5 of 103 [4.9%] v. 22 of 102 [21.6%], p < 0.001; number needed to treat 6). Patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis also had less significant bacteriuria 3 days after catheter removal than those who did not (17 of 103 [16.5%] v. 42 of 102 [41.2%], p < 0.001). Conclusion: Antibiotic prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole at the time of urinary catheter removal significantly reduces the rate of symptomatic urinary tract infections and bacteriuria in patients who undergo abdominal surgery and perioperatively receive transurethral urinary catheters.     

Single dose, oral antibiotic cover for transurethral prostatectomy

A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study was carried out to determine the incidence and significance of bacteriuria in 110 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and to assess the effect of a single pre-operative dose of Ciprofloxacin, a 4-quinolone antibiotic. Fifteen (68%) of the 22 patients in the placebo group with a positive post-operative urine culture subsequently developed a clinically apparent urinary tract infection (UTI) or received antibiotics in view of a positive urine culture. Adequate prostatic concentrations of Ciprofloxacin were achieved in all who received the drug. A significant reduction in the number of positive post-operative urine cultures and urinary tract infections requiring antibiotic therapy was achieved in this group. Six patients (5.5%) developed clinical evidence of septicaemia, 5 of whom were in the placebo group. No organisms resistant to Ciprofloxacin were encountered. Prior to surgery, 19% of all patients were found to have previously unsuspected bacteriuria. Ciprofloxacin tended to reduce the chances of this group developing a UTI or requiring antibiotics. Further, there was a highly significant reduction in post-operative infective complications in those with sterile urine at the time of resection who had received the drug. This study suggests that antibiotic cover for TURP is of clinical benefit. Ciprofloxacin may prove suited to this purpose, although further experience with the drug is still required.     

Use of antibiotics in the conjunction with extracorporeal lithotripsy

The first 400 patients treated on an inpatient basis at our center underwent bacteriological follow-up after extracorporeal lithotripsy (ECL) for ureteric or renal stones. 278 patients did not have any urinary tract infection on the urine culture before ECL. They did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis and 4.8% of the patients developed infectious problems, with significant bacteriuria in only 1.5% of the cases. 89 patients had urinary tract infection on the preoperative cultures. 21.3% developed either fever or significant bacteriuria and this virtually always occurred in patients who were treated for less than 4 days before ECL, with septicemia in 4.5% of the cases. 33 patients with sterile urine received flush antibiotic prophylaxis and none of them developed postoperative infection. Two of these patients had infection at the time of the flush: one of them, who, by error, did not receive antibiotic treatment prior to ECL, developed bacteremia after the procedure. The rational use of antibiotics in conjunction with ECL should ensure effective prevention of urinary tract infections without requiring the excessive use of antibiotics.     

Controlled trial of intravesical noxythiolin in the prevention of infection following outflow tract surgery

A randomised control trial was undertaken in 100 consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for outflow tract obstruction to assess the efficacy of noxythiolin in preventing post-operative bacteriuria; 1% noxythiolin or sterile water was instilled at the time of catheter removal. The incidence of bacteriuria in the treated group (7/50) was significantly lower than in the control group (19/50). This was statistically significant. This difference was more marked in patients who had been catheterised for retention of urine. There was no difference in the complication rate despite a reduction of infection in the treated group.     

Use of antimicrobials for patients undergoing prostatectomy

Our suggestions for the use of antimicrobials in patients undergoing prostatectomy are summarized in Table 2. The use of antimicrobial prophylaxis perioperatively for patients without bacteriuria remains controversial. Some authors recommend and others do not recommend antimicrobial prophylaxis. We do not recommend perioperative prophylaxis for low-risk patients without previous urinary tract infections or an indwelling urethral catheter. We do recommend that patients with risk factors that increase the rate or consequence of urinary tract infection, those with previous urinary tract infections, or those with indwelling urethral catheters, even though the urine shows no growth, receive perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis. Antimicrobial therapy is mandatory for patients with preoperative bacteriuria. The drug must be selected according to the susceptibility of the pathogen, and the duration of treatment must be guided by the severity of the infection. At the time of catheter removal, antimicrobial prophylaxis is probably beneficial, and antimicrobial therapy is essential if bacteriuria is present prior to catheter removal. All patients must have cultures after catheter removal and antimicrobial therapy if a urinary tract infection is identified.     

Urinary bacteriologic study prior to endoscopic urologic surgery

ObjectiveThe objectives of this study are to know the incidence of preoperative bacteriuria in patients undergoing endoscopic urologic surgery, to analyze the most frequent microorganisms appearing in the cultures and their resistance to antibiotics in order to select the most appropriate prophylactic one for our population, and to determine the risk factors related to postoperative bacteriuria or sepsis of urologic originMaterial and Methods449 patients undergoing endoscopic urologic surgery were included in the study. Urinary samples were collected for culture prior to prophylactic antibiotic administration and again a week after bladder catheter removal once the antibiotic treatment was finished. Variables related to an increase in infectious complications were analyzed. Special attention was paid to postoperatory incidences, mainly those of infectious natureResultsPreoperative bacteriuria was found in 66 out of 428 patients (15.4%). It was found to be related to age, sex, previous infection episodes, diabetes mellitus, indwelling catheter and to the pathology for which operation was indicated. The most frequently found microorganism was Escherichia Coli. Resistance to prophylactic antibiotic was found in 37.9% of patients with preoperatory bacteriuria. Postoperatory bacteriuria, observed in 22.0% of the patients was exclusively related to preoperatory bacteriuria. 2.9% of patients showed sepsis of urinary origin criteria during hospital staying, and it was found to be exclusively related to length of surgery and neither to preoperatory bacteriuria nor to indwelling catheter time or the “inappropriate” prophylactic antibiotic use in these casesConclusionsA good part of patients who underwent endoscopic surgery showed preoperatory bacteriuria, responsible for postoperative bacteriuria in less than 25% of the cases. The length of surgery seemed to be the only related cause whit sepsis of urinary origin     

Prospective, randomized, multicentric, open, comparative study on the efficacy of a prophylactic single dose of 500 mg levofloxacin versus 1920 mg trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole versus a control group in patients undergoing TUR of the prostate

OBJECTIVES: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P) is one of the most frequent urological procedures. The efficacy of a prophylactic single dose of levofloxacin vs. trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) vs. a control group, receiving no antibiotic prophylaxis, in patients undergoing TUR-P was investigated in a multicentre study. The aims were to assess the rate of bacteriuria (cfu> or =10(4)/ml) 5 to 7 days, and 3 to 5 weeks after TUR-P, as well as postoperative complications. METHODS: The study was prospective, randomized, multicentric, open and comparative. Patients without bacteriuria (cfu<10(4)/ml) scheduled for TUR-P and not having received antibiotics prior within four days were enclosed. Patients received an oral single dose prophylaxis with either 500 mg levofloxacin, or 320/1600 mg TMP/SMZ, or no prophylaxis according to a 2:2:1 randomization. Clinical examination of the patients and urine culture were performed prior to, 5 to 7 days and 3 to 5 weeks after TUR-P. RESULTS: 14 urological centres throughout Germany recruited 400 patients. 376 patients were evaluable until day 5 to 7, 339 until week 3 to 5. Overall bacteriuria rate at day 5 to 7 was 22% (levofloxacin 21%; TMP/SMZ 20%; control group 30%). Bacteriuria rate at week 3 to 5 was 28% (levofloxacin 26%; TMP/SMZ 26%; control group 36%). Complication rate at week 3 to 5 was 10% (levofloxacin 8%; TMP/SMZ 10%; control group 16%). The rates of postoperative bacteriuria ranged widely between centers (0%-75%). Statistically significant (p<0.05) risk factors for bacteriuria (range) were qualification of surgeon (19%-37%), presence of a suprapubic catheter (22%-34%), disconnection of the closed drainage system (25%-52%), operating time (12%-31%) and operative centre (0%-75%). Total antibiotic consumption (for prophylaxis and treatment) in the control group was higher and more expensive than in groups with antibiotic prophylaxis (6.9 vs. 5.0 doses/patient; 24.9 vs. 19.7 /patient) (p<0.0001). Postoperative complications in patients with bacteriuria (cfu> or =10(4)/ml) were more frequent than in non bacteriuric (cfu<10(4)/ml) patients (17% vs. 8%) (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It is debatable whether postoperative bacteriuria is the key parameter to define efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing TUR-P. The rate of bacteriuria, however, correlated well with the overall rate of postoperative complications. Therefore, it seems reasonable to lower the rate of bacteriuria by prophylaxis. Since patients without antibiotic prophylaxis received at the end even more antibiotic doses than patients with prophylaxis, the overall selection pressure by antibiotic usage can obviously not be lowered by resigning prophylaxis. Therefore we conclude that at least patients at risk should receive antibiotic prophylaxis prior to TUR-P.     

The usefulness of antibiotic prophylaxis in invasive urodynamics in postmenopausal female subjects

This study aims to define the usefulness of antibiotic prophylaxis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in postmenopausal female undergoing invasive urodynamics (IU). Two hundred sixty-two postmenopausal females underwent IU. Before urodynamics, all females were double blindly randomized in two age stratified groups. Group 1 (130 patients) received oral antibiotic prophylaxis with a single 400-mg dose of norfloxacin. Group 2 (132 patients) received norfloxacin placebo. Statistical analysis was performed by a chi (2) test to evaluate differences between groups for UTI incidence rate. Fifty-four patients of 262 (20.6%) resulted affected by UTI [24 of 130 subjects who received antibiotic prophylaxis (18.4%) and 30 of 132 subjects who received placebo (22.7%)]. There was no statically significant difference (P = 0.242) regarding UTI incidence rate between patients who received and those who did not received antibiotic prophylaxis. UTI incidence rate in postmenopausal women undergoing urodynamics is not affected by administration of antibiotic prophylaxis at the desired level of efficacy.     

Efficacy of prophylactic gentamicin use in postoperative urinary tract infections after endoscopic procedures of the urinary tract.

In this study, the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic use was investigated. A total of 110 patients undergoing endoscopic procedures of the urinary tract were enrolled in the study. Fifty-five of the patients were treated with 8-hourly, 80 mg gentamicin sulfate of total three doses. The drug administration began just prior to the operation. Seven postoperative infections (12.7%) were detected, the same number as in the control group of 55 patients. The results confirm that there is no place for gentamicin prophylaxis in endoscopic procedures of the urinary tract.     

The necessity of prophylactic antibiotics during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

In this study we treated 340 patients with renal and ureteric stones. They all underwent ESWL with the HM-4 lithotriptor. The patients were divided into two groups, the first one including 250 patients and the second 90. The first group consisted of patients with sterile urine prior to ESWL. These patients did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis, while 5.2% of them developed infectious problems which were followed by significant bacteriuria in only 2% of the cases. The 90 patients of the second group had urinary tract infection on the preoperative cultures and received antibiotic treatment. Of these patients 27.8% developed infectious problems which were followed by significant bacteriuria in 21.1% of the cases. Evaluating the above results, we estimate that the administration of prophylactic antibiotics in the case of patients with sterile urine before ESWL is not required while it may prove to be useful in the case of patients with urinary tract infection prior to ESWL.     

Antibiotic compared with antiseptic prophylaxis for prostatic surgery

Two different regimens of cephalosporin antibiotic prophylaxis were compared with antiseptic lubricating jelly to try to prevent infection and complications in 196 men after prostatic surgery. Pre-operative urine was cultured and prostatic chips (170 cases) were also cultured to define the source of any infection. The use of antibiotics was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative bacteriuria. No serious complications occurred, although 1 patient in the antiseptic treated group developed rigors; 79 of 170 patients (46%) had positive prostatic chip cultures, of whom 74 had sterile pre-operative urine. There was no association between the result of chip culture and the presence of a pre-operative catheter. Culture positive patients had an increased risk of post-operative urine infection, although the same organism was found in the prostate and urine in only 36% of cases of post-operative bacteriuria and in 43 (54%) the organism cultured from the prostate was Staphylococcus albus. This study provides further evidence of the benefit of true prophylactic antibiotic therapy for transurethral prostatic surgery and the prostatic chip data suggest that some of the risk is due to pre-operative contamination of the prostate in the absence of per-operative urinary infection or catheterisation.     

Morbidity of urodynamic testing in patients with spinal cord injury: is antibiotic prophylaxis necessary?

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, non-randomized study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of urinary tract infection after urodynamics in patients with spinal cord injury. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Germany. METHODS: Urinary tract infection and clinical symptoms in 109 consecutive outpatients with spinal cord injury following urodynamic evaluation were studied. RESULTS: Data from 72 patients were evaluable. Of these, seven patients (9.7%) developed a significant urinary tract infection. Five of these were symptomatic. Pre-existing asymptomatic bacteriuria was not associated with a higher risk for post-interventional infection. The technique of the bladder management did not correlate with urinary tract infection rates. CONCLUSION: In this study, symptomatic urinary tract infections after cystometry were not infrequent. Therefore, it seems that antibiotic prophylaxis cannot be omitted in patients with spinal cord injury undergoing urodynamic investigation.     

Cefuroxime as antibiotic prophylaxis in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Nosocomial-acquired infections remain a serious problem in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare the incidence of nosocomial infections in patients undergoing CABG surgery within two periods (1994 and 2003). A single dose of a second generation cephalosporin (cefuroxime) was administered as antibiotic prophylaxis in all patients. There was no statistical significant difference regards to the incidence of hospital-acquired infections between these two periods (4.9% in 1994 and 5.6% in 2003, P=0.62). The most frequent types of postoperative infections were the respiratory tract infection (2.3%) in the first period and the superficial surgical site infection (3.1%) in the second period. The majority of isolated pathogens were Gram-positive cocci (68%) in both periods. The majority of incisional surgical site infections and of central venous catheter-related infections were attributed to Staphylococcus coagulase negative strains. Only one episode of hospital-acquired infection due to a resistant Gram-negative bacterium was recorded during the second period. A single-dose of cefuroxime remains the antibiotic prophylaxis of choice in adult patients submitted to CABG surgery. It is still associated with a low incidence of postoperative infections mainly due to sensitive pathogens.     

Is endoscopic decompression of the neonatal extravesical upper pole ureterocele necessary for prevention of urinary tract infections or bladder neck obstruction?

PURPOSE: It has been hypothesized that endoscopic decompression of the duplex extravesical ureterocele is necessary to prevent the complications of urinary tract infections and progressive hydronephrosis. This study was performed to test this premise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Infants younger than 2 weeks with an extravesical ureterocele associated with a duplex upper pole moiety were assigned to immediate endoscopic puncture of the ureterocele followed by antibiotic prophylaxis or antibiotic prophylaxis with plans for delayed surgical intervention. Radiographic studies and catheterized urine cultures were obtained at ages 3 and 6 months and for fever greater than 38.5C. All patients included in this study were followed through 6 months of life. RESULTS: Of the patients 32 underwent endoscopic puncture of the ureterocele. Median patient age at endoscopy was 5 days (range 3 to 13). During the first 6 months of life complications developed in 4 (12%), including febrile urinary tract infections in 3 (9%) and with progressive hydronephrosis due to incomplete puncture of the ureterocele in 1 (3%). The remaining 40 patients were treated with antibiotic prophylaxis and delayed open surgery. Median time to open surgery was 3 months (range 2 to 6). During the first 6 months of life complications developed in 5 (13%), including 3 (8%) febrile urinary tract infections and progressive hydronephrosis in 2 (5%). No statistical difference was noted between the 2 treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with extravesical duplex ureteroceles neonatal complications of urinary tract infection and progressive hydronephrosis are not significantly different between those treated with immediate endoscopic decompression versus delayed open surgical intervention.     

Is antibiotic prophylaxis required for flexible cystoscopy? A truncated randomized double-blind controlled trial

PURPOSE: To examine the incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) after flexible cystoscopy (FC) and determine whether prophylactic norfloxacin reduces this incidence compared with placebo. Patients and METHODS: A double-blind trial was performed, randomizing 234 patients to either 400 mg of norfloxacin or placebo prior to FC. All patients provided a midstream urine specimen (MSU) before the procedure, as well as at day 3 and day 7 after FC. In addition, a telephone questionnaire was performed to correlate the nature and severity of any symptoms associated with UTI. RESULTS: Interim analysis was performed because of the low recruitment rate, and a significantly lower infection rate than expected meant that the trial was discontinued. There was one symptomatic UTI in the placebo group (0.82%) and one in the norfloxacin group (0.89%). The UTI in the placebo group was de novo, while the infection in the norfloxacin group was secondary to pre-FC bacteriuria. There was no difference in the infection rates in the two groups. The overall infection rate (de novo and secondary to existing bacteruria) after FC was 0.85%. CONCLUSION: Infection after flexible cystoscopy is rare and not associated with significant morbidity. A much larger study would be required to determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis significantly reduces the rate of postprocedure UTI.     

Is antibiotic prophylaxis necessary in infants with obstructive hydronephrosis?

PURPOSE: We investigated the relationship between the level of obstruction of the upper urinary tract and the risk and onset of urinary tract infection in infants with severe obstructive hydronephrosis to determine the need for antibiotic prophylaxis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 105 patients were prenatally diagnosed with severe hydronephrosis (Society for Fetal Urology grade III or IV) due to upper urinary tract obstruction between 1994 and 2004. Of these patients 75 had ureteropelvic junction obstruction and 30 had lower ureteral obstruction. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical course and incidence of urinary tract infection during the first 12 months postnatally without antibiotic prophylaxis. RESULTS: The incidence of overall urinary tract infection during followup was 36.2% (38 of 105 patients), and it demonstrated a higher trend with lower ureteral obstruction than with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (50% vs 30.7%, p=0.063). Most cases of urinary tract infection (92.8%) occurred before age 6 months, with a mean age at onset of 2.6 months. Of 105 patients 77 (73.3%) underwent corrective surgery at a mean age of 3.8 months. The incidence of urinary tract infection before surgical correction was 33.8% at a mean age of 2.1 months. The incidence of urinary tract infection in surgical cases was significantly higher with lower ureteral obstruction than with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (54.2% vs 24.5%, p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Urinary tract infection in infants with severe obstructive hydronephrosis has a high incidence, occurs before age 6 months and is more common with lower ureteral obstruction than with ureteropelvic junction obstruction. These findings indicate that infants with severe hydronephrosis due to obstruction of the upper urinary tract should receive antibiotic prophylaxis.     

Trimethoprim versus gentamicin for the prevention of bacteriuria following transrectal biopsy of the prostate--do patients need additional anaerobic cover?

OBJECTIVES: To study the incidence of aerobic and anaerobic bacteriuria in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsies of the prostate. A comparative assessment of efficacy of trimethoprim with gentamicin for the prevention of bacteriuria following the transrectal biopsy of the prostate. To assess the need for additional prophylaxis against anaerobes for patients undergoing transrectal biopsies of the prostate gland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a pilot study during 1995-1997, all the patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate were randomised to receive either trimethoprim or gentamicin prophylaxis prior to the procedure. Midstream urine (MSU) samples were taken just prior to biopsy and 72 h later. A patient questionnaire to determine the symptoms of urinary tract infection (UTI) accompanied the 72-hour MSU request form. Urine samples were cultured aerobically, using a semiquantitative technique if dipstick analysis revealed the presence of blood, pus cell or nitrite. In addition to the routine aerobic culture, post-biopsy samples were also cultured for anaerobes by direct and enrichment methods. Bacteriuria was defined as a pure or mixed growth of 10(5) colony-forming units/ml. Fisher's test of exact probability was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 115 patients were available for final analysis. 53 had received gentamicin and 62 trimethoprim. Four patients had pre-existing bacteriuria (3.5%), 3 in the trimethoprim group and 1 in the gentamicin group. Post-operative bacteriuria developed in 5 patients given gentamicin (9.4%) and 1 given trimethoprim (1.6%). This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.085). Post-procedure bacteriuria was asymptomatic in all but 1 case. Anaerobes were detected in only 5 MSUs (4.3%) post-biopsy. CONCLUSION: Though there was no statistical significant difference in the rates of bacteriuria following administration of trimethoprim and gentamicin, data appear to favour trimethoprim prophylaxis. Further studies are warranted. Transrectal biopsy of the prostate is associated with a low incidence of anaerobic UTI. In view of the very low incidence of anaerobic bacteriuria, routine antibacterial prophylaxis against anaerobes does not appear to be justified.     

Antibiotic prophylaxis in urology

The aim of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis is the prevention of surgical site infections and urinary tract infections during urological procedures. The indication for antibiotic prophylaxis comprises several risk factors such as the degree of contamination of the operative site, duration of surgery, implantation of devices and comorbidities of the individual patient. In general this involves a single antibiotic administration before the operative procedure. The antibiotic prophylaxis is part of the total antibiotic consumption and thus a factor contributing to emergence of antibiotic resistance. It is not a substitute for hygiene measures or operative precision.