Surgical infections
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Surgical infections · Oct 2008
Impact of intracranial pressure monitor prophylaxis on central nervous system infections and bacterial multi-drug resistance.
Routine intracranial pressure monitor (ICP) prophylaxis is not practiced at our institution. Nevertheless, some patients receive de facto prophylaxis as a result of the use of antibiotics for injuries such as open or facial fractures. We tested the hypothesis that prophylactic antibiotics do not reduce the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) infections but instead are associated with the acquisition of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. ⋯ The routine use of prophylactic antibiotics for ICP monitor insertion is not warranted. This practice does not reduce the CNS infection rate and is associated with more MDR pathogens in any subsequent infectious complications.
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Surgical infections · Oct 2008
Multicenter StudySurvey of surgical infections currently known (SOSICK): a multicenter examination of antimicrobial use from the surgical infection society scientific studies committee.
The Scientific Studies Committee of the Surgical Infection Society undertook the present study to examine the prevalence of and indications for antimicrobial use in intensive care units where members of the Society practice. ⋯ Most patients were receiving antimicrobial agents. Polypharmacy was common. Most patients did not have a date-certain stop date. This study sets the benchmark for future study regarding antibiotic prescribing behavior in surgical intensive care units.
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Surgical infections · Oct 2008
Near-infrared spectroscopy in patients with severe sepsis: correlation with invasive hemodynamic measurements.
Clinicians have begun using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to monitor tissue perfusion in hemorrhagic shock, as the technique allows continuous noninvasive monitoring of tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation (StO(2)) and the tissue hemoglobin index (THI). We hypothesized that StO(2) measurements in patients with severe sepsis would be associated with the severity of their illness and would correlate with invasive hemodynamic measurements. ⋯ Near-infrared spectroscopic measurements of StO(2) correlated with invasive hemodynamic measurements in patients with severe sepsis but did not correlate with severity of illness. These findings suggest that NIRStO(2) may be a clinically useful measurement in monitoring patients with severe sepsis. Further study of this device in early resuscitation of patients with sepsis is necessary.