Efficacy of prophylactic use of intraoperative vancomycin powder in preventing surgical site infection in neurological surgeries in Irrua, Nigeria: A randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: The objective was to determine the efficacy of intraoperative vancomycin powder in preventing SSIs in neurological surgeries. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study of patients who had clean cranial and non-implant spine surgeries at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria from February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. Patients were randomized into two groups. Group A patients had prophylactic intraoperative vancomycin powder applied to the surgical bed before wound closure while group B patients did not. Patients in both groups were followed up for 30 days post-operatively for evidence of SSI. The occurrence of SSIs was determined using clinical and laboratory parameters. Baseline characteristics, operative details, rates of wound infection, and microbiological data for each case were recorded. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Scientific Solution (SPSS) version 23 software. RESULTS: Forty-two patients were randomized into 2 groups of 21 patients each. The age range of the patients was 20 to 80 years. The majority of the patients were males (32 out of 42). The mean age of patients in group A was 48.05 ± 17.03 years, while group B had a mean age of 45.95 ± 19.14 years. The mean Body Mass Index of patients in groups A and B were 23.92 ± 5.21 and 23.21 ± 3.99 respectively. Seven out of 21 patients (33.3 %) in the control group ( group B) had superficial SSIs while no patient in the experimental group had SSI, p-value < 0.05. The organisms cultured were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative vancomycin powder was effective in reducing the rate of SSIs following neurological surgeries and without adverse drug reactions.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal prostate biopsy: a comparison of one-day and five-day regimen.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the difference in outcome between a 1- day and 5- day antibiotic regimen in the prevention of infective complications following transrectal prostate biopsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective comparative study was done in the urology unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital over a period of 14 months. Eighty seven patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups prior to the procedure. The patients in group I (N=42) received oral ciprofloxacin (500mg, 12 hourly) and oral metronidazole (400mg, 8 hourly) for 1 day while those in group II (N=45) received same antibiotic combination for 5 days. Urine samples for culture were taken an hour before the procedure and then 5 days after in all patients. Temperature monitoring with an easy-to-use thermometer was done thrice daily by the patients. Post biopsy fever and positive urine cultures were indicative of infection. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 68.5 ± 8.1 years. Infective complications occurred in 8(19%) in group I and 7(15.6%) in group II. Fever was noted in 5 patients in group I and 4 patients in group II (p=0.73) while positive urine culture was noted in 4 patients in each group (p=1.00). Complications were minor and transient except in a case of septicaemia in group II that required hospitalisation. Escherischia coli was the most common organism isolated from positive urine cultures. CONCLUSION: A 1-day antibiotic regimen of oral ciprofloxacin and metronidazole is as effective as a 5-day regimenin the prevention of infective complications following transrectalprostate biopsy.

Effects of breast cancer and mastectomy on fibrinolytic activity in African women.

Reduced blood fibrinolytic activity (FA) has been postulated in cancer. It is good to know if this is also the case in Africans with breast cancer. Africans are known to possess enhanced fibrinolysis. This study was designed to assess the effect o breast cancer on fibrinolytic activity and the effect of mastectomy on fibrinolysis in African women. Sixty histo-patholically proven breast cancer patients aged 25 - 45 years were compared with 50 healthy age-matched controls. Plasma fibrinogen levels and euglobulin lysis time (ELT) were estimated in breast cancer patients and th controls. Patients with breast cancer had significantly increased fibrinogen levels euglobulin lysis time (P < 0.001) compare with controls. There was significant mean difference between pre and post-mastectomy fibrinogen and euglobulin lysis time values (p < 0.05). Progressive significant decrease in fibrinogen levels and euglobulin lysis time values (P < 0.05) were observed over the weeks studied respectively. African women with breast cancer have defective fibrin clearing which could predispose them to thrombotic diathesis and early mastectomy may be beneficial. We suggest that fibrinolytic components may be a prognostic marker for breast cancer.