Incidence of surgical site infection in dogs undergoing soft tissue surgery: risk factors and economic impact.

OBJECTIVES: To determine (1) the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing soft tissue surgery at a veterinary teaching hospital and to study (2) and describe the main risk factors associated with SSI and (3) assess the economic impact of SSI. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Veterinary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 184 dogs undergoing soft tissue surgery during a 12-month period (October 2013 to September 2014). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Surgical site infection. RESULTS: Out of the 184 patients analysed, SSI was diagnosed in 16 (8.7 per cent) patients, 13 (81.3 per cent) were classified as superficial incisional infection, 2 (12.5 per cent) as deep incisional infection and 1 (6.3 per cent) as organ/space infection. The administration of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (P=0.028), preoperative hyperglycaemia (P=0.015), surgical times longer than 60 minutes (P=0.013), urinary catheterisation (P=0.037) and wrong use of the Elizabethan collar (P=0.025) were identified as risk factors. Total costs increased 74.4 per cent, with an increase in postsurgical costs of 142.2 per cent. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of SSI was higher than the incidence reported in other published studies, although they were within expected ranges when a surveillance system was implemented. This incidence correlated with an increase in costs. Additionally new important risk factors for its development were detected.

An analysis in vivo of intracanal bacterial load before and after chemo-mechanical preparation: A comparative analysis of two irrigants and two activation techniques.

BACKGROUND: The goals of this randomized double-blind trial were to assess the antimicrobial activity in vivo of Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) vs. chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) used in combination either with EndoActivator® or IRRI S® files in patients with apical periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients with apical periodontitis (in single or multiple root canals) were randomly assigned to the four irrigation protocols outlined below: Group A: 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) + EndoActivator®; Group B: 5.25% NaOCl + IRRI S® files; Group C: 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) + EndoActivator®; Group D: 2% CHX + IRRI S® files. Paper points were used to collect microbiological samples before (1A samples) and after (1B samples) irrigation. Viable colony-forming units (CFU) were quantified twice: (1) without speciation, and (2) only for Enterococcus Faecalis(EF). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 for Windows. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between NaOCl and CHX in the reduction of CFU; in fact, reduction was < 93% for the two irrigants. Conversely, statistically significant differences were found between the two activation techniques (sonic and ultrasonic) in the reduction of Enterococcus Faecalis(EF). Thus, the effectiveness of ultrasonic activation was significantly higher (< 93%; p=0.012) as compared to sonic activation. Following the combination of the two irrigants with the two activation techniques (groups A, B, C and D), significant differences were observed between group A and B (p=0.025) in the reduction of EF populations, reaching up to 94%. CONCLUSIONS: NaClO and CHX are effective in reducing intracanal bacterial load. Ultrasonic activation is the most effective activation technique in reducing EF populations. KEY WORDS: Chlorhexidine gluconate, sodium hypochlorite, ultrasonic irrigation, sonic irrigation, apical periodontitis, Enterococcus faecalis.