Staphylococcus aureus and surgical site infections: benefits of screening and decolonization before surgery.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infections, and contribute significantly to patient morbidity and healthcare costs. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common microbial cause. The epidemiology of S. aureus is changing with the dissemination of newer clones and the emergence of mupirocin resistance. The prevention and control of SSIs is multi-modal, and this article reviews the evidence on the value of screening for nasal carriage of S. aureus and subsequent decolonization of positive patients pre-operatively. Pre-operative screening, using culture- or molecular-based methods, and subsequent decolonization of patients who are positive for meticillin-susceptible S. aureus and meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) reduces SSIs and hospital stay. This applies especially to major clean surgery, such as cardiothoracic and orthopaedic, involving the insertion of implanted devices. However, it requires a multi-disciplinary approach coupled with patient education. Universal decolonization pre-operatively without screening for S. aureus may compromise the capacity to monitor for the emergence of new clones of S. aureus, contribute to mupirocin resistance, and prevent the adjustment of surgical prophylaxis for MRSA (i.e. replacement of a beta-lactam agent with a glycopeptide or alternative).

Strategies to enhance rational use of antibiotics in hospital: a guideline by the German Society for Infectious Diseases.

INTRODUCTION: In the time of increasing resistance and paucity of new drug development there is a growing need for strategies to enhance rational use of antibiotics in German and Austrian hospitals. An evidence-based guideline on recommendations for implementation of antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programmes was developed by the German Society for Infectious Diseases in association with the following societies, associations and institutions: German Society of Hospital Pharmacists, German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology, Paul Ehrlich Society for Chemotherapy, The Austrian Association of Hospital Pharmacists, Austrian Society for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Austrian Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Robert Koch Institute. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A structured literature research was performed in the databases EMBASE, BIOSIS, MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library from January 2006 to November 2010 with an update to April 2012 (MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library). The grading of recommendations in relation to their evidence is according to the AWMF Guidance Manual and Rules for Guideline Development. CONCLUSION: The guideline provides the grounds for rational use of antibiotics in hospital to counteract antimicrobial resistance and to improve the quality of care of patients with infections by maximising clinical outcomes while minimising toxicity. Requirements for a successful implementation of ABS programmes as well as core and supplemental ABS strategies are outlined. The German version of the guideline was published by the German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) in December 2013.

[Streptococcal mediastinitis after thyroidectomy. A literature review]. / Streptokokkenmediastinitis nach Thyreoidektomie. Eine Literaturübersicht.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infections after thyroid surgery are mostly superficial and can be well treated. Streptococcal mediastinitis in contrast is a rare but life-threatening complication. CASE REPORT: A 57-year-old female patient experienced septic fever, increase of inflammation parameters and erythema 2 days after thyroid surgery for Graves' disease. This process was triggered by a three-compartment infection by group A Streptococcus (GAS) with involvement of the mediastinum. Therapy over 6 weeks including seven wound revisions with the patient under general anesthesia, pathogen-adapted antibiotic treatment and cervical negative pressure treatment managed to control the infection. A total of 21 cases have been published on this phenomenon, 11 of which had a fatal outcome. CONCLUSION: High fever and surgical site erythema in the early postoperative period after thyroid surgery can be signs of a GAS infection, which might lead to necrotizing, descending, life-threatening mediastinitis. Early diagnosis with support of computed tomography (CT) scans, immediate therapy including wound opening, lavage, intravenous antibiotic treatment with penicillin and clindamycin are vital. If treatment resistance occurs, cervical negative pressure treatment should be considered.

[Effect of various dressings on the point of entry of an intravenous drip]. / Einfluss verschiedener Verbandsmaterialien auf die Einstichstelle eines ZVK.

In modern health care systems nosocomial infection is a major cause of patient suffering and leads to high financial costs. Overall nursing care that is part of nursing staff's daily routine is not brought under scrutiny often enough. The goal of this research project is to look at a small part only of optimal intravenous drip care. The focus of the paper is the influence that the use of two different kinds of dressings and two different types of cleansing methods have on the general appearance, as well as the microbiological results at the point of entry of the i.v. drip into the central veins. In order to examine this, test patients from different types of intensive care units were used for an experiment under highly controlled conditions. The results show that a variation in nursing care of the i.v. drip leads to a variation in germ development and in the general appearance at the point of entry.

The effects of norepinephrine on hemodynamics and renal function in severe septic shock states.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of norepinephrine (NE) on hemodynamics, oxygen metabolism and renal function in patients with severe septic shock. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Post-operative ICU in a municipal general hospital. PATIENTS: The study included 56 patients with extreme low resistance states due to abdominal sepsis, who remained hypertensive (MAP < 60 mmHg) despite optimal fluid therapy and dopamine > 20 micrograms/kg/min and cumulative doses of dopamine and dobutamine > 30 micrograms/kg/min, respectively. INTERVENTIONS: After registration of baseline values dopamine was reduced to 2.5 micrograms/kg/min, and norepinephrine was administered starting at a dose of 0.05 micrograms/kg/min until a mean arterial pressure of more than 60 mmHg could be maintained. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: During norepinephrine infusion (dosage ranging between 0.1-2 micrograms/kg/min, mean dose rate: 0.4 micrograms/kg/min) mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance index increased significantly (p < 0.001). After 8 h a significant increase in stroke volume (p < 0.05) and decrease in heart rate (p < 0.05) could be observed. There was no significant change in cardiac index (CI), oxygen delivery (O2AVI) and oxygen consumption (VO2I). Creatinine clearance increased significantly (p < 0.005) from a control value of 75 +/- 37 ml/min to 102 +/- 43 ml/min after 48 h NE-treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that norepinephrine can be used safely in the treatment of severe septic shock states. Mean arterial pressure and glomerular filtration rate improved markedly without deleterious effects on CI, O2AVI and VO2I.

[Noradrenaline in the "high output-low resistance" state of patients with abdominal sepsis]. / Noradrenalin im "High Output-Low Resistance State" beim septischen Abdominalpatienten.

We investigated the impact of norepinephrine administration on hemodynamics, oxygen metabolism and renal function in patients in severe septic shock. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Twenty-six patients with extremely low resistance who were between 24 and 87 years of age were included in the study. In 7 patients, acute necrotizing pancreatitis and superinfection was diagnosed; 19 patients suffered from diffuse peritonitis. The entrance criteria for the study were: a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of below 60 torr or, in chronic hypertensive patients, a decrease in systolic pressure of more than 50 torr compared to previous values, despite volume optimization, and dopamine greater than 20 micrograms/kg per min and cumulative doses of dopamine/dobutamine greater than 30 micrograms/kg per min, respectively. Cases with tachycardia greater than 140/min were also included in the study even when the inotropic medication dose was lower. After registration of baseline values, dopamine was reduced to 2.5 micrograms/kg per min, and norepinephrine was administered starting at a dose rate of 0.05 micrograms/kg per min, until a MAP of greater than 60 torr could be maintained. RESULTS. Of the 26 patients investigated, 16 survived; 10 patients with persisting sepsis died due to multiple organ failure (mortality: 38.5%). During the study period, a norepinephrine dosage ranging between 0.1 and 2 micrograms/kg per min was necessary to stabilize the arterial pressure. The mean dose rate was 0.3 micrograms/kg per min. The mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance index showed a statistically significant increase of 30 and 20%, respectively, just after 1 h and distinctly remained above the initial values in the further course. The cardiac index remained constant or increased slightly. After 24 h a statistically significant increase in stroke volume and a decrease in heart rate could be observed. Creatinine clearance increased significantly from the control value of 73 +/- 48 ml/min to 114 +/- 37 ml/min after 48 h under norepinephrine treatment. O2-delivery and O2-consumption did not change significantly, although they showed a slight tendency to increase. CONCLUSION. When patients are in a septic high output-low resistance condition, particular attention must be paid to maintaining sufficient mean arterial pressures. Our results suggest that this essential goal can be achieved by norepinephrine. The mean arterial pressure and glomerular filtration rate improved markedly, and there was no evidence of bad effects such as an increased afterload on critical parameters like cardiac index, O2-delivery and O2-consumption.

[Attempted suicide in children: suicidal development (author's transl)]. / Selbstmordversuch bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Darstellung der suizidalen Entwicklung.

This is a report about 21 children, aged 10 till 15 years, who were admitted between 1977--1980 in a children's hospital because of attempted suicide. Exploration of the psychosocial situation and psychological tests brought many common factors of the suicidal development; a nonfunctioning relationship among the members of the family was the basal cause of a disturbed development of personality. This was responsible for failure in school, what was the cause for further problems in the family. There were many signs and symptoms of a presuicidal situation in each case, but in no one this was recognized by family or school.