A comparison between single and double dose intravenous Timentin for the prophylaxis of wound infection in elective colorectal surgery.

A prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial was undertaken to determine whether two doses of systemic Timentin provided superior prophylaxis against postoperative sepsis in elective colorectal surgery compared with a single dose of the same antibiotic. Timentin, a combination of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid was administered intravenously (3.1 g) at the commencement of operation to all patients, and this was repeated after 2 hours in those patients randomized to receive a second dose. The wound infection rate was 11 percent in the 143 patients completing follow-up and receiving a single dose, and 13 percent in the 128 patients receiving two doses of Timentin (P greater than 0.05). The rates of postoperative septicemia 3 vs. 4 percent and intra-abdominal abscess 5 vs. 8 percent were similar. Multivariate analysis of the factors likely to affect postoperative would infection rate demonstrated an association with the type of hospital, public or private, wound infection rate 16 and 6 percent, respectively (P less than 0.01), and the surgeon group defined by the number of patients contributed greater than 25 or less than 25, wound infection rate 6 and 18 percent, respectively (P less than 0.05). We concluded that a single dose of intravenous Timentin was as effective as two doses for prophylaxis against surgical infection and that the surgeon group and the hospital in which the operation took place were statistically significant predictors of postoperative wound infection.

Failure of staple closure and large bowel anastomotic leakage.

Between July and November 1985, we have detected radiologically failure of staple closure after large bowel anastomosis with the Ethicon Proximate ILS Stapler in four patients. Three of the patients had clinical evidence of an anastomotic leakage. The problem, which has also occurred in an experimentally stapled anastomosis, appears to be a recent phenomenon and may be caused by an instrumental failure. Because the staplers are disposable, tracing the possible fault has been difficult. Documentation is recommended in patients' notes of the instrument and the batch numbers of all disposable surgical staplers that are used in operations.

Effect of cigarette smoking on duodenogastric reflux of bile acids.

The possibility that smoking induces duodenogastric reflux was examined in 13 healthy male volunteers. Gastric juice was aspirated for four consecutive 20-minute periods, and reflux quantitated by measuring total bile acids (TBA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and glycocholic acid (GCA) in the juice. One cigarette was smoked during either period 2 or period 3. Amounts of bile acids (mumoles: means +/- SEM) refluxing into stomach during the pre-smoking, smoking, and post-smoking periods respectively were: TBA-4.5 +/- 1.1, 5.4 +/- 3.0 and 3.9 +/- 1.6, CDCA-1.7 +/- 0.6, 1.5 +/- 0.9 and 2.0 +/- 1.1; GCA-1.8 +/- 1.1, 1.1 +/- 0.6 and 1.0 +/- 0.6. Paired analysis revealed no significant effect of smoking on any of these parameters. These findings, based on quantitative methods, do not confirm those of previous unblinded and semiquantitative studies. We conclude that smoking one cigarette does not provoke duodenogastric reflux.

To strip or not to strip the long saphenous vein? A varicose veins trial.

A double blind controlled trial of surgery for varicose veins was conducted on the legs of patients with bilateral symmetrical varicose veins. The two treatments, saphenofemoral ligation and avulsion of varices, with and without stripping of the long saphenous vein from ankle to groin, were randomly allocated among the legs of individual patients. At follow-up, between 2.5 and 3.5 years, an objective (observer) assessment was that stripping conferred a significant advantage, but the incidence of paraesthesia and pain biased patient's opinion against stripping.

The influence of biliary disease on the excretion of cefazolin in human bile.

Forty-five patients with varying biliary pathology were injected with one gram of intramuscular cefazolin sodium prior to surgery. Serum, gallbladder bile, and common duct bile levels were measured. The type of biliary disease did not influence serum levels (mean, 29 mug per milliliter) which reached a peak one hour after injection. Mean common duct bile levels were reduced from 52 mug per milliliter in nonjaundiced patients to 4 mug per milliliter in those with jaundice (p less than 0.001). Patients with radiologically functioning gallbladders had significantly higher mean gallbladder bile levels (21 mug per milliliter; p less than 0.005). Surprisingly, the mean gallbladder bile level in acute cholecystitis was 25 mug per milliliter. As the minimum inhibitory concentration of cefazolin for organisms commonly found in the bile is 0.5 to 6 mug per milliliter, we suggest that cefazolin sodium may be of value in the treatment of biliary disease, particularly acute cholecystitis.

Identification of the presence and type of biliary microflora by immediate gram stains.

Immediate gram stains were performed on gallbladder bile aspirated at the start of an operation for biliary disease in 191 consecutive patients undergoing elective biliary surgery. The results of the gram stains were telephoned to the operating theater within 20 minutes of collection. The over-all accuracy rate of the telephone gram stain reports compared with the subsequent bile cultures was 77 percent. The incidence of false-positive results was 12 percent, and false-negative results were recorded in 7 percent. The organism was identified wrongly by the gram stain in 4 percent of patients. These results have improved with experience and the over-all accuracy rate of gram stains on bile over the last 6 months have been 87 percent.

Selecting patients requiring antibiotics in biliary surgery by immediate gram stains of bile at operation.

The value of selecting patients for antibiotic cover during biliary surgery by the use of immediate gram stains of bile was determined in a nonrandomized prospective study which compared two groups of patients. Group A consisted of 119 consecutive patients in whom antibiotics were administered during operation according to the results of immediate gram stains on bile. Group B included 101 patients, none of whom received antibiotics. In Group A gentamicin was given for gram-negative bacteria, ampicillin for gram-positive organisms, and no antibiotics were given if no bacteria were seen on the gram stain. In Group A the incidence of wound sepsis was 7 percent, compared with 22 percent in Group B (p less than 0.005). Septicemia occured in 2 percent of Group A, compared with 8 percent in Group B. It is concluded that immediate gram stains of bile will provide a means of selecting patients requiring antibiotic cover during biliary surgery; furthermore, this procedure is a practical way of reducing postoperative sepsis while avoiding unnecessary antibiotic administration.