Failure of preoperative cultures to predict development of Staphylococcus aureus wound infections after cardiac surgery
Taylor, G.; Wiens, R.; Miedzinski, L.
Canadian Journal of Surgery. Journal Canadien de Chirurgie 32(2): 128-130
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-428X PMID: 2920317 Document Number: 340136
To assess the predictive value of preoperative surveillance cultures for the postoperative development of Staphylococcus aureus wound infection, the findings in 563 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery were evaluated. One hundred and forty-seven (26%) were found to be S. aureus carriers preoperatively. Postoperatively, 11 S. aureus wound infections developed, 4 in patients whose cultures were positive preoperatively and 7 in patients whose cultures were negative preoperatively. The patient's endogenous flora appears to be the source of only a minority of such postoperative infections. The authors conclude that preoperative surveillance cultures are not of value in predicting patients at risk for wound infection after elective cardiac surgery.