Clinical Effect of an Intraoperative Bile Culture and Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Biliary Tract Surgery

ABSTRACT

To assess prophylatic antibiotic usage and the value of an intraoperative bile culture in biliary tract surgery, intraoperative bile cultures were taken in 276 biliary surgical patients during the period from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1995. The results of bile culture, the isolation of organisms, susceptibility of the microorganisms to antibiotics, and the relationship between a positive culture and postoperative complications were analyzed. The positive culture rate was 56.5%, and the highest culture rate(100%) was seen in patients with combined stones in the gallbladder, the common bile duct and the intrahepatic duct. The most common gram negative microorganism was E. coli(44%), and Enterococcus was the most common among the gram positive microorganisms. The effective antibiotics for gram negative organisms were Amikacin, Gentamicin, Tobramycin, and Chloramphenicol; for gram positive organisms, they were Amikacin, Tetracycline, Gentamicin, and Tobramycin in order of effectiveness. The frequency of wound infection was larger in positive cultures(11.5%) than in negative cultures (2.5%), and the risk factors for positive cultures were old age, obstructive jaundice, a high serum SGOT/SGPT level, and previous biliary tract surgery. In conclusion, we recommend that prophylactic antibiotic treatment be done during the perioperative period for old patients with leukocytosis, obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, or a history previous biliary tract surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis in biliary tract surgery reduces postoperative infectious complications.