Local Gentamicin Application to Reduce Postoperative Infection Rate
Surgical Wound InfectionThe majority of elderly patients with a displaced fracture of the proximal femur are now treated with a hemiarthroplasty. Prosthetic joint infection is a devastating complication, and the infection rate is high in this group of elderly patients. Local application of gentamicin produces high antibiotic concentrations in the wound. The aim of this study is to determine whether locally administered collagen-gentamicin in the joint perioperatively in addition to routine IV prophylaxis with beta-lactam antibiotics can reduce the early postoperative infection rate (< 4 weeks postoperative)after hemiarthroplasty in proximal femoral fractures.
Prospective Study on Cesarean Wound Outcomes
Surgical Site InfectionCosmetic Appearance of Cesarean Scar1 moreThis study will investigate whether the placement of silver impregnated dressings beginning in the OR will improve wound healing in patients undergoing cesarean delivery compared to traditional Telfa pads. This study will also explore the presumed improvement in scar integrity when silver impregnated dressings are used compared to the Telfa pads. The study will compare the percentage of patients who develop a surgical site infection after application of silver impregnated dressings versus standard Telfa dressings. Investigators will also assess the cosmetic appearance and pain of the cesarean section scar at the patient's one week and 6 week post-operative visits.
Antimicrobial Coated Sutures in Paediatric Surgery
Wound InfectionsThe purpose of this study is to determine if suture material coated by antimicrobial agent triclosan would decrease the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in paediatric surgery compared to ordinary sutures. 1500 children (age form 4 weeks to 18 years) coming for general pediatric surgery to the Oulu University Hospital are randomised to have sutures coated with triclosan (Vicryl Plus, Monocryl Plus) or ordinary sutures. The occurrence of SSIs is monitored by email questionnaires to the parents on days 10 and 30. The diagnosis of SSIs are made along CDC criteria.
Supplemental Oxygen Reduces Surgical Infection
Wound InfectionSupplemental perioperative oxygen has been reported to halve or double the risk of surgical wound infection. We tested the hypothesis that supplemental oxygen reduces infection risk following colorectal surgery. Colorectal surgery patients (n=300) were randomly assigned to 30% or 80% FiO2 intraoperatively and 6 hours postoperatively. Wound infections were diagnosed by blinded investigators using Centers for Disease Control criteria. Baseline patient characteristics, anesthetic management, and potential confounding factors were recorded. Wound infection rates were compared with chi-square analysis. Logistic regression identified the contribution of potential confounding factors. Surgical wound infection occurred in 24.4% of patients receiving 30% oxygen, but only 14.9% of those receiving 80% oxygen (P<0.039). According to logistic regression, the relative risk of infection in patients given supplemental oxygen was 0.46 (P=0.035). Supplemental inspired oxygen reduced wound infection risk by roughly a factor of two. We thus recommend that supplemental oxygen be provided to patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
PeRioperative Omega Three and the Effect on ImmuNity
Colorectal CancerNutritional Deficiency8 moreBowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the UK, with 50,000 new cases and over 15,000 deaths annually. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment and the most common complications are an infection of the wound or lungs. These can lengthen hospital stay, reduce the quality of life, and even increase the risk of death. Bowel cancer patients are often malnourished. Optimising nutrition with supplements such as fish-oils can improve the immune response of patients, helping prevent such complications, shorten hospital stay, improve quality of life and overall survival.
Single Site Versus Multi Site Robotic Hysterectomy
RehabilitationPain2 moreRobotic single site surgery (R-SSH) is a novel technique, which may be superior to multi site hysterectomy (R-MSH) in select patients regarding cosmesis and postoperative pain. A randomized trial is performed to compare R-SSH with R-MSH with regard to the postoperative rehabilitation, cosmesis, the operational cost, and the perioperative morbidity.
Comparing Efficacy of Postoperative Oral Antibiotic Use in Trans-Oral Thyroidectomy
Surgical Wound InfectionThyroid NoduleTransoral endoscopic thyroid surgery is a emerging surgical technique for thyroid surgery. This study to investigate the need for postoperative antibiotics in transoral endoscopic thyroid surgery.
Can Continuous Non-invasive Monitoring Improve Stability of Intraoperative Blood Pressure - A Feasibility...
Hip FracturesHypotension on Induction5 moreBackground During anaesthesia for repair of a broken hip, many patients experience low blood pressure. There have been many studies showing that patients who experience low blood pressure during anaesthesia are at increased risk of sustaining kidney or heart damage, strokes, having a post-operative infection, or dying. During anaesthesia, in most cases blood pressure is monitored using a cuff which inflates on the arm (the 'normal' way blood pressure is measured in a GP practice or hospital ward). This gives a reading each time the cuff goes up and down, every 3-5 minutes typically. There is a less well used way to measure blood pressure, using an additional cuff on the finger which gives a constant, continuous measure of blood pressure. We think that using this monitor, rather than the 'standard' monitor, will mean that low blood pressure is recognised more quickly, therefore treated more quickly, and will lead to patients having less exposure to dangerously low blood pressures. If this is the case, we hope that it will reduce how often patients experience kidney or heart damage, have an infection after surgery, suffer a stroke, and reduce the risk of death. Methodology To test this, we would need to run a large clinical trial comparing the continuous monitor to the standard monitor. This would be expensive and involve a great deal of work in a large number of hospitals, and so first we wish to determine whether the trial we would like to run is practical, and possible to deliver in the real world. To do this we plan to run the trial first on a small-scale feasibility (pilot) study, where we will recruit 30 patients, half of whom will have the standard monitor, and half of whom will have the continuous monitor. We will see what proportion of the patients who could enter the trial actually do so and complete it, and use it as an opportunity to iron out problems with the trial. If we find it is possible to run the trial on a small scale, we will apply for funding to run a full study. This will aim to answer the question of whether the continuous monitor improves the patient outcomes which were agreed during development with the patient public involvement group locally; rate of kidney damage, heart damage, stroke, post-operative infections, risk of death, and hospital length-of-stay. Expected outcomes and implications. We anticipate we will find the trial to be feasible with amendments to the way it is run, and if this is the case, we will apply to run the full scale trial. If this shows that using the continuous monitor improves the patient outcomes above, then it would represent new, significant evidence that may lead to the NHS adopting it's use as 'standard care' during anaesthesia for repair of a broken hip, and would like lead to similar trials in other operations where patients may benefit in a similar way.
Antibiotics Usage in Pediatric Orthopaedic Percutaneous Surgery (APOPS)
Supracondylar Humerus FracturePost Operative Wound InfectionThe aim of this study is to determine if antibiotics affect the outcome after percutaneous surgery for pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures. The patient population will be recruited from the cohort presenting to Women and Children's Hospital for percutaneous fixation of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures who meet the eligibility criteria and consent to taking part in the study. Patients will be followed up for 3-6 weeks depending on age, and will be evaluated on the presence or absence superficial or deep infection, Visual Analog Scale pain scores, time to healing, need for repeat casting, and loss of fixation.
Minimization of Surgical Site Infections for Pts Undergoing Colorectal Surgery
Surgical Wound InfectionsColorectal SurgeryThis is a comparison, at this VA Hospital, of standard operating room management in colorectal surgery to a more rigid management using an additional five previously tested treatments to determine if this changes the rate of post operative wound infections.