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Biomedical subjects

D W Burdon

Publications and source records attributed to D W Burdon.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Prophylactic use of cephazolin against wound sepsis after cholecystectomy.

A trial of antibiotic prophylaxis with cephazolin against postoperative wound sepsis was carried out on 201 patients undergoing routine cholecystectomy. Wound sepsis occurred in 11 out of 65 controls (16.9%), who were not given the drug; two out of 63 patients (3.2%) given a single dose preoperatively; and four out of 73 patients (5.5%) given the single preoperative dose plus a five-day course postoperatively. The difference between the controls and patients given the single preoperative dose was significant.

Cefazolin↗

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.

Adult↗

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.

Adult↗

Prophylaxis against anaerobic sepsis in bowel surgery.

Sixty-two patients were admitted to a prospective randomized controlled trial to investigate the influence of a prophylactic antibiotic, lincomycin, on anaerobic sepsis following bowel surgery. The incidence of postoperative sepsis was reduced from 45 to 18 per cent (P less than 0-025). Wound infections were reduced from 38 to 12 percent (P less than 0-05). Intra-abdominal or pelvic abscess occurred in 1 of the treated group compared with 3 controls. Septicaemia occurred after operation in 1 patient receiving lincomycin and in 3 of the controls; in 2 of the latter, pure growths of bacteroides were isolated from the blood cultures and 1 of these patients died. Although lincomycin had no influence on the number of patients who developed aerobic postoperative infections, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of sepsis due to bacteroides, which occurred in 10 of the control group compared with 1 in the lincomycin group (P less than 0-005). No patients developed complications attributable to lincomycin, such as pseudomembranous colitis. These data indicate that the genus Bacteroides are important pathogenic organisms and are responsible for postoperative morbidity. Furthermore, anaerobic sepsis can be reduced by appropriate prophylactic antibiotics.

Aged↗

Complications of supraduodenal choledochotomy: a comparison of three methods of management.

The complications of elective choledochotomy in a prospective study of 116 patients with suspected intraduct calculi are reported. Management included T tube drainage (n = 59), primary closure of the bile duct (n = 29) and choledochoduodenostomy (n = 28). Septicaemia occurred in 12 patients (10%), with 1 death, and was unrelated to the type of operation. Thirty patients (26%) developed wound infection; this complication was more common after T tube drainage than the other procedures. Intra-abdominal abscess occurred in 3 patients only. Thrombo-embolism was recorded in 10 patients (9%), 7 of whom had an intraduct drain. Postoperative pancreatitis occurred in 5 patients (4%), with 2 deaths; a third of the patients in whom sphincteroplasty had been combined with supraduodenal choledochotomy developed this complication. Reoperation for stones was required in 3 patients with T tube; 3 patients developed a temporary biliary fistula after choledochoduodenostomy. The hospital stay was 9-5 days after primary closure, 14-0 days after choledochoduodenostomy and 16-8 days after T tube drainage. Wound sepsis (32%) and thrombo-embolism (12%) were more common in patients with bacterbilia than in patients where the bile was sterile at operation (13 and 3% respectively). Furthermore, wound sepsis, septicaemia and thrombo-embolism were reduced in patients who were given effective antibiotic cover.

Abscess↗

Antibiotics in biliary disease: the relative importance of antibiotic concentrations in the bile and serum.

A randomised controlled trial has been performed in 150 patients undergoing biliary operations to determine whether an antibiotic which is excreted almost entirely in bile (rifamide) is to be preferred to one having satisfactory serum levels only (gentamicin). Patients were allocated to one of three groups: 50 received gentamicin, 50 received rifamide, and there were 50 controls who received no antibiotic cover. In the absence of duct obstruction, rifamide achieved extremely high bile levels but low serum concentrations. However, in jaundiced patients, both the bile and the serum concentrations of rifamide were too low to be of therapeutic value. The incidence of postoperative sepsis was not reduced by rifamide compared with controls. In contrast, gentamicin achieved adequate serum concentrations in 88% of patients. Despire poor bile levels, gentamicin was associated with a significant reduction of wound infection from 22% to 6% and septicaemia from 14% to 2% compared with controls. To reduce the septic complications of biliary operations, adequate serum levels of an effective antimicrobial are more important than an antibiotic, which is excreted almost entirely into the bile.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

A controlled trial of parenteral prophylactic gentamicin therapy in biliary surgery.

This trial has investigated the value of gentamicin therapy in patients requiring biliary surgery. One hundred consecutive patients were randomly allocated to receive either gentamicin or no antibiotic. Post-operative infection was assessed by an independent observer. Cultures and gentamicin assays were performed on bile and blood sampled during and after operation. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of gentamicin were measured with isolated bacterial. In 80 per cent of patients biliary organisms were inhibited by 2 mug/ml of gentamicin. Twice this concentration was found in the serum at operation in 88 per cent, but in the bile in only 18 per cent. Nevertheless, gentamicin lowered the incidence of bacteria in the bile from 42 to 25 per cent. There was a reduction in wound sepsis from 21 to 6 per cent (P less than 0-05). Bacteriaemia was demonstrated in only 1 patient receiving gentamicin compared with 5 controls and 1 death occurred from endotoxaemia in the control group. These data suggest that gentamicin will reduce the morbidity of biliary surgery, particularly in patients in whom the bile is infected at operation.

Aged↗