Candida species. Insignificant contaminant or pathogenic species

The pathogenicity of Candida species cultured from peritoneal fluid or from an intra-abdominal abscess is unknown. A review of cultures at NCMH from 1978 to 1983 showed that Candida species were cultured from the peritoneal fluid of 39 patients and from intra-abdominal abscesses in 24 patients. The average age was 49 (range 6 months to 102 years); there were 38 men and 25 women. None of the 39 patients with Candida species grown from the peritoneal fluid was treated with Amphotericin B and only 1 (2.6%) subsequently developed an abscess. This patient was treated by surgical drainage without Amphotericin B and recovered. Twenty-four patients had Candida cultured from an intra-abdominal abscess. Of these, 21 (87.5%) also grew other bacterial organisms. Twenty of these 24 patients were treated with surgical drainage and antibacterial antibiotics without Amphotericin B. Six (30%) died, but only one death was felt to be directly related to the Candida infection. The remaining four were treated with surgical drainage, appropriate antibacterial antibiotics, and Amphotericin B. Two of these four (50%) died; one of the two deaths was related to Candida infection. Candida species grown from the peritoneum were not related to later Candida infection. Treatment of patients with contamination of the peritoneum by Candida with Amphotericin B appears unnecessary and because of Amphotericin renal toxicity, may be potentially harmful. Patients with polymicrobial intra-abdominal abscesses that contain Candida species should be treated with surgical drainage and appropriate antibacterial antibiotics. The value of adding Amphotericin B therapy in patients with polymicrobial abscess containing Candida was not demonstrated in this study, and its role is unclear.     

Candida spondylitis: case report and review of the literature

Candida species have emerged as important pathogens in human infection. Although a variety of deep-seated candidal infections have been reported, Candida spondylitis has rarely been described. One patient with candida tropicalis spondylitis L I and L II in combination with candida coxitis is presented, and the 31 adult cases with vertebral involvement previously reported are reviewed. Candida spondylitis is noted as a simultaneous occurrence or late manifestation of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Spondylitis may not be prevented by a course of Amphotericin B adequate to control the acute episode of disseminated candidiasis, particularly in immune suppressed patients. Spondylitis does not present as a postoperative wound infection. The insidious progression of infection, the nonspecificity of laboratory data, and the failure to recognise Candida as a potential pathogen may lead to diagnostic delay. Diagnosis can be made by either open biopsy or CT controlled needle aspiration. Successful therapeutic regimes have employed combinations of antifungal therapy (Amphotericin B or fluconazole) with radical surgical debridement. Ventral and facultatively dorsal instrumentation is required to stabilize the spine. It is anticipated that the spondylitis will become a more commonly recognised manifestation of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. A increasing significance of candida species as etiologic agents of infection immune compromised humans has been recognised in the recent years. In those patients whom an antecedent Candida septicaemia was documented, a striking delay of 3.3 months was found between the septicaemia and the onset of symptoms as well as the time of diagnosis.     

Synchronous bacterial and fungal septicemia. A marker for the critically ill surgical patient

Mixed septicemia (synchronous fungal and bacterial septicemia) is an occasional, but often fatal occurrence in the critically ill patient. We reviewed 14 such cases at two hospitals. Twelve of 14 patients were in the surgical intensive care unit. Eleven patients had an average of 2.7 major surgical procedures (range 2 to 4); persistent post-operative peritoneal sepsis was common occurring in 9 patients. Bacteremia preceded mixed septicemia in 8 of 14 cases and gram negative enteric bacilli were the most common causes of bacteremia. Fungemia was due to Candida species in 13 of 14 patients and followed prolonged antibiotic therapy. The diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis was suspected during life in 13 patients and proven in six. Mixed septicemia is a marker for a distinct population of critically ill surgical patients with a high overall mortality (78% in this study). Culture of both a fungal and bacterial pathogen in a blood culture, especially if preceded by bacteremia, should alert the physician to strongly suspect disseminated fungal infection and to commence appropriate treatment. Mortality is likely to remain high unless the underlying disease states can be rapidly corrected and infection controlled.     

Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of fluconazole to prevent candidal infections in critically ill surgical patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prophylactic use of enteral fluconazole to prevent invasive candidal infections in critically ill surgical patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Invasive fungal infections are increasingly common in the critically ill, especially in surgical patients. Although fungal prophylaxis has been proven effective in certain high-risk patients such as bone marrow transplant patients, few studies have focused on surgical patients and prevention of fungal infection. METHODS: The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in a single-center, tertiary care surgical intensive care unit (ICU). A total of 260 critically ill surgical patients with a length of ICU stay of at least 3 days were randomly assigned to receive either enteral fluconazole 400 mg or placebo per day during their stay in the surgical ICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital. RESULTS: The primary end point was the time to occurrence of fungal infection during the surgical ICU stay, with planned secondary analysis of patients "on-therapy" and alternate definitions of fungal infections. In a time-to-event analysis, the risk of candidal infection in patients receiving fluconazole was significantly less than the risk in patients receiving placebo. After adjusting for potentially confounding effects of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III score, days to first dose, and fungal colonization at enrollment, the risk of fungal infection was reduced by 55% in the fluconazole group. No difference in death rate was observed between patients receiving fluconazole and those receiving placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Enteral fluconazole safely and effectively decreased the incidence of fungal infections in high-risk, critically ill surgical patients.     

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract in surgical patients: a systematic review of the evidence

OBJECTIVE: To determine the comparative efficacy of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in critically ill surgical and medical patients, and in selected subgroups of surgical patients with pancreatitis, major burn injury, and those undergoing major elective surgery and transplantation. DATA SOURCES: The MEDLINE database was searched from January 1966 to December 1996 using the terms "decontamination or prophylaxis," "intensive care units," and "antibiotics." The search was limited to English-language studies evaluating the efficacy of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in human subjects. STUDY SELECTION: The primary review was restricted to prospective randomized trials. DATA EXTRACTION: End points of interest included rates of nosocomial pneumonia, bacteremia, urinary tract infection, wound infection, mortality, and length of intensive care unit stay. Methodologic quality of individual studies was assessed using a previously described model. DATA SYNTHESIS: Odds ratios (ORs) together with their (95% confidence interval [Cls]) were reported and determined using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Mortality was significantly reduced with the use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in critically ill surgical patients (OR, 0.7, 95% CI, 0.52-0.93), while no such effect was demonstrated in critically ill medical patients (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.71-1.18). The greatest effect was demonstrated in studies where both the topical and systemic components of the regimen were used. Rates of pneumonia were reduced in both subsets of patients, while those of bacteremia were significantly reduced only in surgical patients. CONCLUSIONS: Selective decontamination of the digestive tract notably reduces mortality in critically ill surgical patients, while critically ill medical patients derive no such benefit. These data suggest that the use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract should be limited to those populations in whom rates of nosocomial infection are high and in whom infection contributes notably to adverse outcome.     

Factors associated with the development of candidemia and candidemia-related death among liver transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: The authors' objective was to identify factors associated with candidemia and candidemia-related death among adult liver transplant recipients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Invasive candidiasis is the most common severe fungal infection occurring after liver transplantation and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Although candidemia is not always found during invasive candidiasis, it has been considered as an indicator of invasive candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. METHODS: A time-matched case-control study of 26 patients with candidemia, which was defined as the isolation of Candida from at least one blood culture, and 52 control patients without candidemia was reported. Two control patients were matched with each case patient regarding time of transplantation and duration of follow-up. RESULTS: Between December 1985 and December 1992, candidemia developed in 1.4% of adult liver transplant recipients a median of 25 days after transplantation (range, 2-1690 days). The overall mortality rate among patients with candidemia was 81%, and 71% of these deaths were related to candidemia. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with candidemia, which were 1) hyperglycemia treated with insulin up to 2 weeks before candidemia (odds ratio [OR], 16.15; p = 0.002), and 2) exposure to more than three different intravenous antibiotics before development of candidemia (OR, 11.15; p = 0.005). The variables predictive of death related to candidemia were abdominal surgery performed up to 1 week before candidemia (relative risk [RR], 7.25; p = 0.02), high white blood cell count (RR, 1.10; p = 0.01), lower platelet count (RR, 0.99; p = 0.02), and elevated AST with candidemia (RR, 1.001; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia that requires insulin and exposure to more than three antibiotics are the factors associated with the development of candidemia in liver transplant recipients. When candidemia develops shortly after abdominal surgery and in patients with elevated AST, high white blood cell count, or low platelet count, it is associated with a high mortality rate.     

Enteral fluconazole is well absorbed in critically ill surgical patients

BACKGROUND: Enteral fluconazole, a triazole antifungal agent with an excellent oral bioavailability, has not been widely studied in critically ill surgical patients. METHODS: During a randomized placebo-controlled trial of enteral fluconazole (N = 130) versus placebo (N = 130) for the prevention of fungal infections in critically ill surgical patients, trough fluconazole levels were measured after the loading dose and 3 times weekly during intensive care unit stay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for fluconazole were measured on all infecting Candida isolates. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-seven serum samples were assayed for fluconazole levels in 121 patients. The most common infecting fungal species was Candida albicans, isolated in 14 of 31 infections (45%). Other infecting species were C glabrata, C tropicalis, and C parapsilosis. Mean fluconazole levels were above the highest MIC for C albicans and C parapsilosis in all but 5 patients (4%). Mean fluconazole levels were below the median MIC for C glabrata in 93 of 121 patients (77%). No significant relationship was seen between fluconazole levels and risk for fungal infection. CONCLUSIONS: Serum fluconazole levels are above the MIC of most yeast species found in these patients. These levels may not be above the MIC of C glabrata, the second most common Candida isolate causing infection in this study.     

Surgical Perspective on Invasive Candida Infections

Candida infections have become a major source of morbidity and mortality in the modern surgical intensive care unit. The most common risks for invasion and dissemination are the use of antibiotics, central venous lines, total parenteral nutrition, burns, immunosuppression, and other markers for severity of illness (APACHE > 10, ventilatory use for > 48 hours). Data suggest that colonization can be a late predictor of invasive disease in today’s critically ill surgical patient and that prophylaxis or early treatment in high risk patients is warranted, particularly before invasive/disseminated disease becomes life-threatening. When advanced disease is present, the diagnosis of invasive or disseminated Candida infection is often prompted by clinical suspicion and supported by consistent clinical data; laboratory tests alone lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity to direct therapeutic decision-making. Once the diagnosis of invasive or disseminated Candida infection is ascertained, early systemic treatment, along with treatment of localized infection, is as fundamental as with any other serious infectious disease. Reported toxicity and efficacy supports the use of fluconazole for most patients with invasive/disseminated Candida infections. For the most critically ill surgical patient amphotericin B remains the treatment of choice. Prophylaxis and early treatment strategies with minimally toxic agents may diminish the need to use more toxic therapy in the most severely ill patients.     

A randomized prospective trial of amphotericin B lipid emulsion versus dextrose colloidal solution in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Amphotericin B is the agent of choice for most invasive fungal infections in critically ill patients. It is associated with at least a 50% incidence of nephrotoxicity, despite prophylactic measures such as sodium loading. Newer formulations of amphotericin B are available but are costly and have unknown bioavailability in critically ill patients. Previous trials in neutropenic and critically ill patients have demonstrated that mixing amphotericin B with 20% lipid solution (Intralipid; Clintec Nutrition, Deerfield, III) may decrease nephrotoxicity. METHODS: In this randomized, prospective clinical trial, patients with positive fungal blood cultures, tracheal/sputum cultures or peritoneal cavity cultures were randomized to receive either 0.5 mg/kg per day of amphotericin B dextrose or 1.0 mg/kg per day of amphotericin B lipid emulsion. Duration of therapy was determined by the primary care team. Weekly 24-hour creatinine clearance was measured until 2 weeks after amphotericin B therapy was completed. RESULTS: The two groups were similar based on age, white blood cell count, serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance at the beginning of therapy. The group receiving amphotericin B lipid emulsion had significantly less decrease in creatinine clearance compared with controls, despite receiving significantly more amphotericin B. CONCLUSION: Amphotericin B lipid emulsion can be given at a higher total cumulative dose than amphotericin B dextrose with less nephrotoxicity.     

The effect of surgical delay on acute infection following 554 open fractures in children

BACKGROUND: Traditional recommendations hold that open fractures in both children and adults require urgent surgical debridement for a number of reasons, including the preservation of soft-tissue viability and vascular status as well as the prevention of infection. Following the widespread use of early administration of antibiotics, a number of single-institution studies challenged the belief that urgent surgical debridement decreases the risk of acute infection. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, multicenter study of open fractures that had been treated at six tertiary pediatric medical centers between 1989 and 2000. The standard protocol at each medical center was for all children to be given intravenous antibiotics upon arrival in the emergency department. The medical records of all children with open fractures were reviewed to identify the location of the fracture, the interval between the injury and the time of surgery, the Gustilo and Anderson classification, and the occurrence of acute infection. RESULTS: The analysis included 554 open fractures in 536 consecutive patients who were eighteen years of age or younger. The overall infection rate was 3% (sixteen of 554). The infection rate was 3% (twelve of 344) for fractures that had been treated within six hours after the injury, compared with 2% (four of 210) for those that had been treated at least seven hours after the injury; this difference was not significant (p = 0.43). When the fractures were separated according to the Gustilo and Anderson classification system, there were no significant differences in the infection rate between those that had been treated within six hours after the injury and those that had been treated at least seven hours after the injury. Specifically, these infection rates were 2% (three of 173) and 2% (two of 129), respectively, for type-I fractures, 3% (three of 110) and 0% (zero of forty-four), respectively, for type-II fractures, and 10% (six of sixty-one) and 2% (two of thirty-seven), respectively, for type-III fractures (p > 0.05 for all three comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: In the present retrospective, multicenter study of children with Gustilo and Anderson type-I, II, and III open fractures, the rates of acute infection were similar regardless of whether surgery was performed within six hours after the injury or at least seven hours after the injury. The findings of the present study suggest that, in children who receive early antibiotic therapy following an open fracture, surgical debridement within six hours after the injury offers little benefit over debridement within twenty-four hours after the injury with regard to the prevention of acute infection.     

Treatment of coccidioidomycosis infection of bone with local amphotericin B suction-irrigation. Report of a case.

A 29-year-old man with coccidioidomycosis of the tarsal bones and toxic reactions to intravenous Amphotericin B was treated by surgical curettage and local suction-irrigation system of Amphotericin B. The patient responded to treatment and was free of disease 2 years later. Local suction-irrigation with Amphotericin B may be a valuable adjunct in the treatment of coccidioidomycosis infection of bone.     

Infectious risk to ventriculo-peritoneal shunts from gastrointestinal surgery in the pediatric population

Purpose

The infectious implication of abdominal surgeries on ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts, including simultaneous shunt placement and management of shunt infections, has been ill defined in children.

Methods

We conducted a 9-year retrospective review of pediatric patients with VP shunts who underwent abdominal surgeries.

Results

Forty-two patients fit criteria. The median age at shunt placement was 1.75 years, and the median time between shunt placement and abdominal surgery was 24 days. The most common procedures included gastrostomy (17), fundoplication (15), and appendectomy (3). Seven patients had simultaneous abdominal surgery and shunt placement. All patients received preoperative antibiotics. Two children developed shunt infections, both occurred after appendectomy. Both were treated with antibiotics, with one requiring shunt removal. Median length of stay was 24 days but 28 days for those with infections. Thirty-eight patients were discharged home, 3 to chronic care facilities, and 1 died.

Conclusions

Infections did not occur in children with VP shunts undergoing elective abdominal procedures or procedures simultaneously with shunt insertion. Infections were seen only with emergent appendectomies, suggesting that performing gastrointestinal procedures at the time of VP shunt insertion is safe. Children with VP shunts undergoing emergent surgery for peritoneal infection warrant close observation for shunt infection.     

High mortality in systemic fungal infections following renal transplantation in third-world countries

Amongst 310 recipients of live related renal transplants, systemicfungal infections were observed in 19 patients (6.1%). Theseincluded cryptococcosis in eight (42%), candidiasis in seven(37%), mucor-mycosis in two (11 %), aspergillosis in one (5.5%),and a mixed cryptococcal and Aspergillus infection in one patient(5.5%). Infections occurred within 12 months of transplantationin seven patients and after 13–37 months in the remainingpatients. Prolonged fever not responding to antibiotics wasthe most common presentation. Central nervous system was involvedin all patients with cryptococcosis, while Candida infectionprimarily involved the urinary tract. Both patients with mucormycosisexhibited signs and symptoms of florid rhinocerebral diseaseand a rapid downhill course. Pulmonary manifestations were themost prominent features of patients with aspergillosis. Parenteralamphotericin B with or without 5-fluorocytosine was startedin all, but three patients could receive the therapy only for1–3 weeks. Three patients with cryptococcosis developedamphotericin-related complications and were changed to oralfluconazole. Seven patients recovered and 12 (63%) died. None of the patients had cytomegalovirus infection precedingthe onset of fungal disease. The high frequency of fungal infectionsamongst our allograft recipients could not be ascribed to overimmunosup-pression, since 16 patients (84%) were only on maintenancedoses of immunosuppressive drugs and in 13 (68.4%) graft functionwas normal at the time of diagnosis. The high frequency of fungal infections in our patients wasmost probably related to the poor hygienic and sanitary conditionswhich continue to be prevalent in the tropical environment ofthird-world countries. Delays in the diagnosis and late institutionof therapy result in a high mortality. A high index of suspicion,appropriate investigations and early treatment are vital toreduce morbidity and mortality due to fungal infections amongstallograft recipients.     

The gastrointestinal tract. The "undrained abscess" of multiple organ failure.

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the association between proximal gastrointestinal (GI) colonization and the development of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infection and multiple organ failure (MOF) in a population of critically ill surgical patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: ICU-acquired infection in association with progressive organ system dysfunction is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in critical surgical illness. Oropharyngeal and gastric colonization with the characteristic infecting species is common, but its association with ICU morbidity is poorly defined. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 41 surgical ICU patients was undertaken. Specimens of gastric and upper small bowel fluid were obtained for quantitative culture; the severity of organ dysfunction was quantitated by a numeric score. RESULTS: One or more episodes of ICU-acquired infection developed in 33 patients and involved at least one organism concomitantly cultured from the upper GI tract in all but 3. The most common organisms causing ICU-acquired infection--Candida, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas, and coagulase-negative Staphylococci--were also the most common species colonizing the proximal GI tract. Gut colonization correlated with the development of invasive infection within 1 week of culture for Pseudomonas (90% vs. 13% in noncolonized patients, p < 0.0001) or Staphylococcus epidermidis (80% vs. 6%, p < 0.0001); a weaker association was seen for colonization with Candida. Infections associated with GI colonization included pneumonia (16 patients), wound infection (12 patients), urinary tract infection (11 patients), recurrent (tertiary) peritonitis (11 patients), and bacteremia (10 patients). ICU mortality was greater for patients colonized with Pseudomonas (70% vs. 26%, p = 0.03); organ dysfunction was most marked in patients colonized with one or more of the following: Candida, Pseudomonas, or S. epidermidis. CONCLUSIONS: The upper GI tract is an important reservoir of the organisms causing ICU-acquired infection. Pathologic GI colonization is associated with the development of MOF in the critically ill surgical patient.     

Candida infections in surgical patients. Dose requirements and toxicity of amphotericin B

The natural history of candidiasis in general surgical patients has been poorly documented, and the toxicity of amphotericin B is widely heralded. For these reasons therapy for candidiasis is frequently withheld in situations where antimicrobial treatment seems indicated on clinical grounds. The clinical courses of 47 general surgical patients who received amphotericin therapy for presumed Candida infection were reviewed. Nineteen patients had had solid tumors, but 12 were either localized or resected tumors. Only nine patients had received prior cancer themotherapy. Twenty-one patients were treated for fungemic disease, 10 for Candida in peritonitis fluid, and 16 for apparent colonization associated with fever and organ failure syndromes. Pre-existing renal or other organ failure was the primary determinant of survival with 4/22 survivors (18%) in patients with renal failure compared with 17/25 (78%) survivors in patients without such organ failure. In patients with serum creatinine values less than 2.5 mg/dl, amphotericin therapy was associated with a transient 30% fall in creatinine clearance and a proportionate rise in serum creatinine. Dose response curves were determined and revealed substantial sterilization of cultures in both fungemic and nonfungemic patients receiving greater than or equal to 6 mg/kg. This was confirmed by autopsy material. We suggest that in this acutely ill patient popoulation uncontrolled infection is the primary determinant of organ failure. Short-term limited dosing with amphotericin B (6-8 mg/kg total dose) in conjunction with appraisal of clinical response is adequate therapy for most presumed Candida infections. Long-term high dose therapy, such as that recommended in immuodepressed patients, is not a routine necessity.     

Use of a vacuum-assisted device to facilitate abdominal closure

The inability for abdominal closure in critically ill surgical patients provides a complex problem. Often, these patients are left with a large ventral hernia, which requires readmission for abdominal wall repair. We are reporting on the use of a vacuum-assisted device (VAD) to facilitate abdominal wall closure. Fifteen patients were enrolled for placement of a VAD. Selection was based on the diagnosis of abdominal compartment syndrome, the inability for abdominal closure at the initial operation, or the inability to close the abdomen upon re-exploration. Ten (67%) patients were successfully closed within 11 days using the VAD. Predictors of successful closure were the duration of VAD placement (< 12 days, P < 0.001), the total amount of VAD output (< 3 L, P < 0.04), the patient's cumulative fluid balance within the first 2 weeks (< 2 L, P < 0.002), or the presence of a systemic infection at the time of attempted closure (P < 0.001). After 6 months, there have been no complications in patients successfully closed with this device. There have been a few recent reports describing VAD abdominal closures. While not successful for every case, the majority of our patients were able to have their abdominal wall closed primarily. We plan to use this technique to help shorten hospital stay and prevent readmission for hernia repair.     

Transthoracic echocardiography is not cost-effective in critically ill surgical patients

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography has been shown to be valuable in critically ill surgical patients. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) often fails to provide adequate imaging in critically ill patients, necessitating subsequent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The objective of this study was to determine and quantify factors associated with failure of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in critically ill surgical patients, and to define a cost-effective strategy for echocardiography in these patients. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were collected retrospectively and evaluated to determine which factors were associated with failure of TTE to provide adequate imaging. In addition, models were developed to estimate costs for echocardiography in critically ill surgical patients. RESULTS: TTE has a high failure rate in critically ill surgical patients. This failure rate increases significantly in patients who gain > 10% body weight from admission weight, who are supported with > or = 15 cm H(2)O positive end-expiratory pressure, and in those with chest tubes. As a result, the use of TTE in critically ill surgical patients is not cost-effective. TEE, however, is highly effective in this group of patients, and is more cost-effective than TTE in evaluating those critically ill surgical patients requiring echocardiography. CONCLUSION: The routine use of TTE to initially evaluate all critically ill surgical patients who require echocardiography should be abandoned because it is not cost-effective. TEE appears to be the most cost-effective echocardiographic modality in the surgical intensive care unit.     

腹腔镜阑尾切除患者围手术期抗生素应用时间对并发症发生率的影响分析

目的分析腹腔镜阑尾切除患者围手术期抗生素使用持续时间对并发症发生率的影响。方法回顾性分析我院2012年7月～2017年6月腹腔镜阑尾切除患者836例。根据术后抗生素不同应用持续时间将患者分为三组:A组186例患者术后使用抗生素少于2天,B组404例患者术后使用抗生素治疗2～4天,C组246例患者术后使用抗生素治疗4天以上。比较3组患者术后切口愈合情况及抗生素使用相关性腹泻的发生率。结果三组患者术后切口达到甲级愈合患者分别为77.96%、76.24%和80.89%,三组之间差异不显著(P0.05);三组患者手术切口感染率2.69%、1.98%和2.44%,3组之间切口感染率无明显差异(P0.05)。但抗生素使用相关性腹泻随抗生素使用时间延长而增加。结论腹腔镜阑尾切除患者围术期抗生素使用持续时间对切口感染发生率无明显影响,但使用时间延长增加患者抗生素使用相关腹泻的发生率。     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa susceptible only to colistin in intensive care unit patients

BACKGROUND: Gram-negative bacilli, including multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are responsible for severe intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections, mainly pneumonia and bacteremia. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of MDR strains of Pseudomonas in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, to elucidate the effectiveness of treating these patients with colistin, and to assess the safety of the drug. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted among 1,452 patients who underwent surgery for a variety of cardiac lesions over a one-year period, and who spent a portion of the recovery period in the surgical ICU. Their case histories were analyzed to identify infectious complications. Diagnosis of infection was based on clinical data, and the pathogen was tested with respect to its susceptibility to colistin (polymyxin E). The clinical response to the antibiotic was evaluated. RESULTS: Over the 12-month period, among 115 infected patients, 15 were affected by strains of P. aeruginosa. In 10 patients, this pathogen proved resistant to all potentially active antibiotics except colistin. All of the affected patients were being ventilated mechanically, and eight of them presented with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), whereas one patient suffered a deep incisional surgical site infection and bacteremia and the remaining patient had a superficial infection of a lower-extremity vein graft donor site. The MDR pathogen was introduced to the hospital by three patients transferred from three institutions. All patients were treated with intravenous colistin. In cases of VAP, aerosolized colistin was added. Deterioration of renal function occurred in three patients (30%), all of whom had a history of renal insufficiency. Cure or clinical improvement was observed in seven patients (70%), whereas four patients, including one who improved initially, developed sepsis and died with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (mortality rate 40%). CONCLUSIONS: The increasing prevalence of MDR P. aeruginosa in ICU patients has rekindled interest in polymyxins, which had been abandoned because of toxic side effects. Colistin retained significant in vitro activity against this virulent organism, had an acceptable safety profile, and should be considered as a treatment option in critically ill patients with infection caused by MDR gram-negative bacilli. Aerosolized colistin may merit further consideration as a therapeutic intervention for patients with refractory pulmonary infections.     

Surgical treatment for primary infected aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta,abdominal aorta,and iliac arteries

OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: In this retrospective review, we report the surgical results of infected aortic aneurysms treated at a single center over 5 years. RESULTS: From October 1996 to October 2001, 19 patients with infected aortic aneurysm were treated with surgery, nine with suprarenal infections (four proximal descending thoracic aortic aneurysms, two distal descending thoracic aortic aneurysms, and three suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms) and 10 with infrarenal infections (eight infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms and two iliac artery aneurysms). All had a positive blood or tissue culture; 89% were febrile, 89% had leukocytosis, and 32% were hemodynamically unstable. The most common responsible pathogens were Salmonella organisms (74%) followed by Streptococcus species (11%). Nine of 10 infrarenal infections were caused by Salmonella organisms. Both infrarenal and suprarenal infections were treated with wide débridement of infected aorta, in situ prosthetic graft or patch repair, and prolonged intravenous antibiotics. Hospital survival rate was 95%: 100% for infrarenal and 89% for suprarenal infections. There was no perioperative intestinal ischemia or perioperative limb loss. Acute renal failure occurred in two patients with suprarenal infection. Late deaths have occurred in three patients with one early graft infection (5%) resulting in the only one in-hospital death at 4 months. Sixteen patients remain alive at mean follow-up of 17.8 months (range, 4-47 months). There have been no late aortic or graft infections. During the same period, there were five unoperated patients, four of whom died of shock during hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Infected aortic aneurysm is common in Taiwan, and Salmonella species were the most common responsible microorganisms. With surgical intervention and prolonged intravenous antibiotics, in situ graft replacement provided a good outcome. The incidence of prosthetic graft infection was low, even in patients with infections due to Salmonella species and with in situ graft replacement.