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Biomedical subjects

D Youngs

Publications and source records attributed to D Youngs.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Influence of oral mannitol bowel preparation on colonic microflora and the risk of explosion during endoscopic diathermy.

Oral mannitol has been widely accepted as the bowel preparation of choice for colonoscopy and elective colorectal operation because it is well tolerated by patients. Recent concern has been expressed regarding the risk of explosion and sepsis using oral mannitol because it may provide a nutrient for certain gas-producing bacteria in the colon. Samples of colonic contents aspirated at operation were compared in patients prepared by oral mannitol, by whole bowel irrigation, mannitol preceded by 48 h of oral antibiotics (neomycin with metronidazole) and in patients who did not undergo any preparation. Significantly higher counts of gas-producing Escherichia coli were recovered from patients prepared with mannitol alone compared with whole bowel irrigation or mannitol preceded by oral antimicrobials. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that fermentation of mannitol by Escherichia coli is responsible for the production of potentially explosive gas mixtures after oral mannitol preparation and may also explain the increased incidence of sepsis when oral mannitol is used for bowel preparation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1981

Cimetidine and the potential risk of postoperative sepsis.

The gastric microflora of patients receiving cimetidine for duodenal ulceration has been investigated and the results compared with those from a group of untreated patients. Cimetidine-induced hypochlorhydria allows bacterial proliferation in the stomach; 75 per cent of aspirates from 44 fasting patients taking cimetidine 1 g daily were found to contain bacteria 2--4 h after the last dose. Of 41 patients taking cimetidine 400 mg at night, 34 per cent still had bacteria in their aspirates 12--13 h later. Patients treated with cimetidine are likely to be at an increased risk of postoperative sepsis. The drug should either be withdrawn before gastric surgery is undertaken or patients with gastric contents of pH 4 or above should receive antibiotic cover.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The microflora of the postoperative stomach.

The microflora and pH have been assessed in gastric aspirates from 163 patients after gastric surgery and have been compared with 51 patients with gastro-oesophageal carcinoma, 152 unoperated patients with peptic ulceration, 72 of whom were receiving cimetidine, 3 patients with pernicious anaemia and 27 normal subjects. The total viable bacterial count was closely related to the pH of the aspirate and was independent of the cause of the hypochlorhydria; 90 per cent of aspirates of pH 1--2 were sterile, while 94 per cent of those of pH 4--8 contained bacteria. Escherichia coli was found significantly more frequently in the postoperative and cancer groups, and Clostridium spp. were significantly more common in patients with carcinoma. Elevated gastric juice nitrite concentrations were significantly more common in aspirates of pH 4--8 and this correlated well with the presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria. The pH of an aspirate is a good indicator of the presence of bacteria and may be useful in selecting patients requiring postoperative prophylactic antibiotic cover. Hypochlorhydric patients are exposed to increased concentrations of nitrite and there may be an increased risk of gastric cancer induced by N-nitrosocompounds.

Anemia, Pernicious↗
PubMed1981

Bowel preparation and the safety of colonoscopic polypectomy.

A fatal colonic explosion has been recorded during colonoscopic polypectomy after oral mannitol bowel preparation. It has been suggested that bacterial degradation of oral mannitol allows the production of hydrogen and methane which are potentially explosive. We have analyzed the gas composition of colonic aspirates in unprepared patients (n = 11), after orthograde saline lavage (n = 11), after oral mannitol alone (n = 11), and when oral mannitol was given with oral antibiotics (n = 11). After oral mannitol bowel preparation 7 patients had potentially explosive gas mixtures compared with 4 in the unprepared group, 1 after orthograde saline lavage, and none when oral antibiotics were used before mannitol. We believe, therefore, that if oral mannitol is used for bowel preparation before colonoscopic polypectomy oral antibiotics should also be administered or insufflation should be with carbon dioxide.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1980

Prophylactic saline peritoneal lavage in elective colorectal operations.

The influence of a single peroperative five-liter saline peritoneal lavage has been assessed in 21 consecutive patients undergoing elective operation for colorectal cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate whether reduction in bacterial counts by saline lavage would reduce the incidence of infection and thereby avoid the need for prophylactic antimicrobials. Saline lavage was shown to reduce significantly counts in peritoneal fluid of aerobic bacteria from 2 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(1) (P less than 0.001) and to reduce the counts of anaerobes in peritoneal fluid from 8 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(2) (P less than 0.001). Despite the profound reduction in peritoneal bacterial counts the rate of postoperative sepsis was extremely high; wound infection 47 per cent, intraabdominal abscess 26 per cent and septicemia 13 per cent. These results indicate that saline peritoneal lavage alone is no substitute for short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed1980

Therapeutic trials of antibiotic associated colitis.

Since September 1977 we have seen 63 patients with Clostridium difficile and a faecal toxin, but only 33 had histological evidence of pseudomembranous colitis. We have conducted separate double blind trials of an antibiotic, vancomycin and an anion-exchange resin, colestipol, in patients with post-operative diarrhoea. Vancomycin was extremely effective at eradicating the organism and its faecal toxin. These changes were associated with a marked symptomatic improvement. Colestipol proved ineffective in absorbing the faecal toxin and caused no change in numbers of Clostridial difficile. There was no associated symptomatic response. Neither drug had any effect on diarrhoea not related to Clostridium difficile. A carrier state was created by those patients who continued to excrete the organism after Colestipol or placebo treatment. This was eradicated by subsequent treatment with vancomycin. Our brief experience with metronidazole is discussed and a rational basis for treatment advocated.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1979

Comparison between systemic and oral antimicrobial prophylaxis in colorectal surgery.

In a prospective randomised trial in which 93 patients undergoing elective colorectal operations were given a short prophylactic course of metronidazole and kanamycin orally or systemically, postoperative sepsis occurred in only 3 (6.5%) of those given antimicrobials systemically, compared with 17 (36%) of those given oral prophylaxis (P less than 0.01). 15 of the 17 infections in patients who received antimicrobials orally were due to kanamycin-resistant bacteria present in the colon at operation. Bacterial overgrowth of Staphylococcus aureus was recorded in 6 of the patients who received oral therapy. Antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis occurred in 7 patients, 6 of whom had received prophylaxis orally. These results indicate that oral administration of prophylactic antimicrobials in colon surgery should be avoided because of the risks of bacterial resistance, superinfection, and antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis. Systemic per-operative antimicrobial prophylaxis is safer and more effective.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1979

Antibiotic-associated colitis--a review of 66 cases.

We have reviewed 66 cases of antibiotic-associated colitis since March 1975, which have been associated with a 27 per cent mortality. We believe antibiotics may predispose patients to this condition which is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium difficile. Although the disease is rare, it is more common than previously reported. The presentation, methods of diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Randomised controlled trial of vancomycin for pseudomembranous colitis and postoperative diarrhoea.

The efficacy of vancomycin in pseudomembranous colitis was assessed in a prospective randomised controlled trial. Forty-four patients with postoperative diarrhoea were allocated to five days' treatment with either 125 mg vancomycin six-hourly or a placebo. Sixteen patients had high titres of the neutralised faecal toxin characteristic of pseudomembranous colitis; nine received vancomycin and seven placebo. At the end of treatment faecal toxins were present in one patient given vancomycin compared with five of the controls. Vancomycin caused the disappearance of Clostridum difficile from the stool in all except one patient, whereas toxicogenic strains of Cl difficile persisted in all but one of the controls. Histological evidence of psuedomembranous colitis had disappeared by the end of treatment in six out of seven patients given vancomycin compared with only one out of seven patients given vancomycin compared with only one out of five patients given placebo. In patients with faecal toxins bowel habit had returned to normal in seven of the vancomycin group compared with only one of the controls, but there was no significant difference in clinical response among patients without faecaal toxins. The results suggest that vancomycin eliminates toxin-producing Cl difficile from the colon and is associated with rapid clinical and histological improvement in patients with pseudomembranous colitis.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1978

Diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis after gastrointestinal operations. A prospective study.

241 patients who had gastrointestinal operations were studied prospectively. Postoperative diarrhoea occurred in 58 patients (24%) and was significantly more common after exposure to antibiotics. 9 patients (4%) had high titres of a neutralisable faecal toxin characteristic of pseudomembranous colitis. Toxigenic Clostridium difficile strains were isolated from the stools of all patients with neutralisable faecal toxin. If pseudomembranous colitis is defined as the presence of neutralisable faecal toxin, then the diagnosis is often missed by sigmoidoscopy and rectal biopsy.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗