Comparative Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Vancomycin Powder in High Risk Spine Surgery Patients

Comparative Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Vancomycin Powder in High Risk Spine Surgery Patients

Comparative Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Vancomycin Powder in High Risk Spine Surgery Patients

Despite the use of prophylactic systemic antibiotics and improved surgical technique, surgical site infections remain a serious concern. The incidence of deep infection after spine surgery has been lowered with systemic antibiotics, yet after instrumented fusion for traumatic injuries infection rates remain as high as 10%. The impact on patients and cost of treating such infections is profound. With diminishing healthcare dollars and policy that refuses to reimburse for postoperative infections, it is critical that physicians and hospital systems seek out cost effective ways of decreasing postoperative infections. Local delivery of antibiotics into the surgical site have been found to significantly decrease infection rates in those undergoing posterior spine fusion for traumatic injuries as studied in a retrospective manner by the investigators of this grant. In this proposal the investigators will prospectively randomize patients undergoing posterior spinal stabilization for traumatic injuries into either receiving vancomycin powder into the surgical site (treatment) versus not receiving vancomycin powder (control) and subsequently follow infection rate, complications, and cost of care. The investigator's hypothesis is that i) vancomycin powder will decrease infection rates ii) have no systemic toxicity iii) and be a cost saving advancement in the safety of delivering spine surgical care.

80 randomized patients will be given vancomycin powder in the surgical sites prior to closure following spinal surgery.

80 participants who were not randomized to receive Vancomycin powder will receive no intervention at the conclusion of their surgery.

patients randomized to this group will receive vancomycin powder in the surgical incision after posterior spinal fusion.

Patient demographics and perioperative information obtained will include: comorbidities known to increase the risk of infection, body mass index, level of injury, presence of neurologic deficit, prealbumin level, evidence of an open fracture elsewhere, injury severity score, operative time, estimated blood loss, and blood creatinine levels. All wounds will be assessed 4-6 weeks after surgery to address early surgical site infection (SSI).

Inclusion Criteria All English-speaking patients ≥ 18 years undergoing posterior spine fusions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the treatment of traumatic injuries will be considered for inclusion Exclusion Criteria have a known allergy to vancomycin do not agree to participate had previous spine surgery at the injury level within 6 months are pregnant have a history of Steven's Johnson Syndrome have a history of infections at the surgical site have a history of cancer or radiation treatment at the injured level have open spine fractures have traumatic injuries to non-spine organ systems that limit their functional capacity

Bibbo C, Patel DV. The effect of demineralized bone matrix-calcium sulfate with vancomycin on calcaneal fracture healing and infection rates: a prospective study. Foot Ankle Int. 2006 Jul;27(7):487-93. doi: 10.1177/107110070602700702.

Branstetter JG, Jackson SR, Haggard WO, Richelsoph KC, Wenke JC. Locally-administered antibiotics in wounds in a limb. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2009 Aug;91(8):1106-9. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.91B8.22216.

Buchholz HW, Engelbrecht H. [Depot effects of various antibiotics mixed with Palacos resins]. Chirurg. 1970 Nov;41(11):511-5. No abstract available. German.

Burdon DW. Principles of antimicrobial prophylaxis. World J Surg. 1982 May;6(3):262-7. doi: 10.1007/BF01653540. No abstract available.

Calderone RR, Garland DE, Capen DA, Oster H. Cost of medical care for postoperative spinal infections. Orthop Clin North Am. 1996 Jan;27(1):171-82.

Cavanaugh DL, Berry J, Yarboro SR, Dahners LE. Better prophylaxis against surgical site infection with local as well as systemic antibiotics. An in vivo study. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009 Aug;91(8):1907-12. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.G.01237.

Dahners LE, Funderburk CH. Gentamicin-loaded plaster of Paris as a treatment of experimental osteomyelitis in rabbits. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1987 Jun;(219):278-82.

Edin ML, Miclau T, Lester GE, Lindsey RW, Dahners LE. Effect of cefazolin and vancomycin on osteoblasts in vitro. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1996 Dec;(333):245-51.

Gitelis S, Brebach GT. The treatment of chronic osteomyelitis with a biodegradable antibiotic-impregnated implant. J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2002 Jun;10(1):53-60. doi: 10.1177/230949900201000110.

Glassman SD, Dimar JR, Puno RM, Johnson JR. Salvage of instrumental lumbar fusions complicated by surgical wound infection. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1996 Sep 15;21(18):2163-9. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199609150-00021.

Gold HS, Moellering RC Jr. Antimicrobial-drug resistance. N Engl J Med. 1996 Nov 7;335(19):1445-53. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199611073351907. No abstract available.

O'Neill KR, Smith JG, Abtahi AM, Archer KR, Spengler DM, McGirt MJ, Devin CJ. Reduced surgical site infections in patients undergoing posterior spinal stabilization of traumatic injuries using vancomycin powder. Spine J. 2011 Jul;11(7):641-6. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2011.04.025. Epub 2011 May 19.