PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS DURING THE IMPLANT PROSTHETIC PHASE MAY NOT SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASE THE INCIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS.

ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Does the Prosthetic Phase of Dental Implants Justify the Prescription of Preventive Antibiotics in Healthy Patients? A Systematic Review. Salgado-Peralvo AO, Uribarri A, Peña-Cardelles JF, Kewalramani N, Rodríguez JLG, Velasco-Ortega E. J Oral Implantol. 2023 Feb 1;49(1):93-101. SOURCE OF FUNDING: The authors declared that no funding was received to support the study. TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN: Systematic review.

Vaginal cleansing before unscheduled cesarean delivery to reduce infection: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Cesarean delivery is the most performed major surgery among women, and surgical-site infections following a cesarean delivery are a significant source of postoperative morbidity. It is unclear if vaginal cleansing before a cesarean delivery decreases post-cesarean delivery infectious morbidity. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate if preoperative vaginal cleansing with povidone-iodine among women undergoing a cesarean delivery after labor decreases postoperative infectious morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: This randomized clinical trial was conducted from August 3, 2015 to January 28, 2021, with 30 days of follow-up and the final follow-up completed on February 27, 2021. Patients met the inclusion criteria if they underwent a cesarean delivery after regular contractions with cervical dilation, rupture of membranes, or any cesarean delivery performed at >4 cm dilation. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either abdominal cleansing plus vaginal cleansing with 1% povidone-iodine or abdominal cleansing alone. The primary outcome was composite infectious morbidity including surgical-site infection, fever, endometritis, and wound complications within 30 days after the cesarean delivery. Secondary outcomes included individual components of the composite, length of hospital stay, postoperative hospitalization or outpatient treatment related to infectious morbidity, and empirical treatment for neonatal sepsis. RESULTS: A total of 608 subjects (304 vaginal cleansing group, 304 control group) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Patient characteristics were similar between groups. There was no significant difference in the primary composite outcome between the 2 groups (11.8% vs 11.5%; P=.90; relative risk, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.7-1.6). Individual components of the composite and secondary outcomes were also not significantly different between the groups. Similar findings were observed in the as-treated analysis (11.3% vs 11.8%; P=.9; relative risk, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.7-1.6). CONCLUSION: Vaginal cleansing with povidone-iodine before an unscheduled cesarean delivery occurring after labor did not reduce the postoperative infectious morbidity. These findings do not support the routine use of vaginal cleansing for women undergoing a cesarean delivery after labor.

Does the Prosthetic Phase of Dental Implants Justify the Prescription of Preventive Antibiotics in Healthy Patients? A Systematic Review.

Recently published surveys data show that the routine prescription of preventive antibiotics (PA) in the prosthetic phase of dental implants is more common than might be expected. The present study aimed to answer the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) question "In healthy patients starting the implant prosthetic phase, does the prescription of PA compared with not prescribing PA decrease the incidence of infectious complications?" by a systematic literature review. A search was performed in 5 databases. The criteria employed were those described in the PRISMA Declaration. Studies included were those that provided information on the need to prescribe PA in the prosthetic phase of implants, that is, in second-stage surgeries, impression-taking, and prosthesis placement. The electronic search identified 3 studies that met the established criteria. The prescription of PA in the prosthetic phase of implants does not show a justified benefit/risk ratio. Preventive antibiotic therapy (PAT) may be indicated in the second stages or in peri-implant plastic surgery procedures lasting more than 2 hours and/or where soft tissue grafts are used extensively. In these cases, given the current lack of evidence, it is recommended to prescribe 2 g of amoxicillin 1 hour before surgery and, in allergic patients, to prescribe 500 mg of azithromycin 1 hour preoperatively.

Correlation between prognostic nutritional index and occlusal status in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic inflammatory responses in cancer patients are important factors for nutrition and prognosis. This study evaluates the association between tooth loss, occlusal status, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). METHODS: A total of 93 patients with gastric cancer were included. These parameters were investigated the following: stage, body mass index (BMI), total lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), PNI, and albumin (ALB). Patients were divided into three groups by Eichner classification (group A had contact in four support zones; group B had in one to three zones or in anterior region; and group C had no contact). PNI assumed 40 or less undernutrition. Multiple regression analysis was performed (PNI, dependent variable; Eichner index, main independent variable), using four independent variables (sex, age, BMI, and CRP) as adjustment factors. RESULTS: The mean ± SD PNI in groups A, B, and C was 43.0 ± 4.7, 41.7 ± 5.2, and 36.7 ± 7.7, respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between the number of teeth, both ALB, and PNI. ALB and PNI differed significantly between groups A and C (ALB, p = .0003; PNI, p = .005). CONCLUSION: We recommend a preoperative dental evaluation for assessing the nutritional status of patients with gastric cancer.

Is There a Role for Preclosure Dilute Betadine Irrigation in the Prevention of Postoperative Infection Following Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Conflicting evidence exists surrounding the use of preclosure irrigation solutions in primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA). We aimed to determine the role of dilute betadine lavage in preventing early infection after primary TJA. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed primary TJAs between 2010 and 2018. Dilute betadine lavage was introduced to our practice in November 2014. We included 3513 total hip arthroplasties, 3932 total knee arthroplasties, and 1033 hip resurfacings (HRs). In group 1 (n = 5588), surgical wounds were irrigated with saline; group 2 used dilute betadine solution (n = 2890). Subanalyses using propensity matching based on known risk factors of infection-age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, diabetes, and procedure-were completed. RESULTS: There were 48 acute infections in group 1 (0.9%) and 23 in group 2 (0.8%) (P = .762). HR without betadine had the highest acute infection prevalence (P = .028). When groups in the whole cohort were propensity score-matched, group 1 had more acute infections than group 2 (P = .033). The effect of betadine was isolated to HR patients. After excluding HR cases, betadine continued to reduce the acute infection rate when compared with the no betadine group, but this was not statistically significant (0.4% vs 0.8%; P = .101). Likewise, we did not find a significant difference in total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty patients (P = .796). CONCLUSION: There was a decreased infection rate in the betadine group overall when groups were propensity-matched. Because the reduction in the acute infection rate was clinically significant, we feel this practice is an effective means to prevent infections.

Effect of Antibiotic-Impregnated Bone Cement in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of commercially available antibiotic-impregnated bone cement (AIBC) on (1) prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and (2) surgical site infections (SSIs) after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A review of primary TKAs between 2014 and 2017 from an institutional database was conducted. This identified 12,541 cases which were separated into AIBC (n = 4337) and non-AIBC (8,164) cohorts. Medical records were reviewed for PJIs and SSIs (mean 2-year postoperative period). Infection rates between the cohorts were compared with univariate analyses followed by subanalysis of high risk patients (defined as having 2 or more of the following characteristics: >65 years, body mass index >40, or Charlson Comorbidity Index score >3). To control for confounders, multivariate analyses were performed with regression models adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, year, operative times, and lengths of stay. RESULTS: On univariate analysis, PJI rates were higher in the AIBC cohort (1.0%) compared to the non-AIBC cohort (0.5%, P < .001). Subanalysis of the high risk patients also showed that PJI rates were higher in the AIBC cohort (1.9% vs 0.6%, P < .01). After adjusting for potential confounders, no significant associations between PJIs and AIBC use were found (odds ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 0.9-2.3, P = .133). Similarly, no significant differences in SSI rates were observed between the AIBC (2.9%) and non-AIBC cohorts (2.4%, P = .060) and no significant associations between SSIs and AIBC were found with multivariate analysis (odds ratio 1.0, 95% confidence interval CI 0.8-1.3, P = .948). CONCLUSION: This study found that there was no clinically or statistically significant decrease in infection rates with AIBC in primary TKAs.

Antibiotic prophylaxis habits in oral implant surgery among dentists in Italy: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The prescription of prophylactic antibiotics in conjunction with oral implant surgery remains inconsistent among different populations of dentists. The main objective of this study was to assess the current antibiotic prescribing habits of dentist in conjunction with oral implant surgery in Italy. The secondary objective was to assess the nature and amount (mg) of antibiotics prescriptions in order to evaluate whether any consensus has been reached and if the current recommendations are complied. METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study based on a web-survey reported according to the STROBE guidelines. A questionnaire was sent via email to each registered member of the Italian Academy of Osseointegration (n = 400). The email included a link to the anonym web questionnaire developed on www.encuestafacil.com. It contained close-ended and some open-ended questions concerning demographics, antibiotic type, prescription duration and dosage. Collected data were analyzed using STATA® 14 software. RESULTS: 160 participants responded the survey (response rate = 40%). Approximately 84% routinely prescribed prophylactic antibiotics in conjunction with oral implant surgery, 15.6% prescribed antibiotics in certain situations and only 1 did not prescribe antibiotics at all. Overall, 116 respondents prescribed both pre- and postoperative antibiotics, 29 prescribed antibiotics only preoperatively and 14 prescribed antibiotics exclusively after surgery. Italian dentists prescribed an average amount of 10,331 mg antibiotics before, during or after oral implant surgery. Approximately, only 17% (n = 27) of the participants who prescribed antibiotics before oral implant surgery complied with the recommendations proposed by the latest publications (no more than 3 g of preoperative amoxicillin before oral implant surgery). CONCLUSIONS: Dentists in Italy on a large scale prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis in conjunction with oral implant surgery among healthy patients. A high range of prophylactic regimens is prescribed and they are not adhering to the new science-based specifications. Guidelines focused on the indications for prophylactic antibiotics among healthy patients are required to prevent bacterial resistance, side effects and costs caused by overtreatment and the irrational use of antibiotics.

Antibiotic prophylaxis prescribing habits in oral implant surgery in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: There seems to be no consensus on the prescription of prophylactic antibiotics in oral implant surgery. The Dutch Association of Oral Implantology (NVOI) guidelines do not include a clear policy on prophylactic antibiotic prescriptions for oral implant surgery among healthy patients. The purpose of the study was to determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis is commonly prescribed in the Netherlands by general dentists, maxillofacial surgeons and oral implantologists in conjunction with oral implant surgery among healthy patients and to assess the type and amount of prophylactic antibiotic prescribed. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study is based on a web survey. A questionnaire developed in the United States of America was translated and slightly adjusted for use in the Netherlands. It contained predominantly close-ended questions relating to demographics, qualifications, antibiotic type, prescription duration and dosage. An email including an introduction to the study and an individual link to the questionnaire was sent in February 2018 to a sample of 600 general dental practitioners and all 302 specialized dentists (oral implantologists, periodontists and maxillofacial surgeons) recognized by the NVOI. Overall, 902 questionnaires were anonymously sent. Finally, 874 potential participants were reached. Collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. RESULTS: In total, 218 (24.9%) participants responded to the questionnaire, including 45 females (20.8%) and 171 males (79.2%). Overall, 151 (69.9%) regularly placed oral implants. Of them, 79 (52.7%) prescribe antibiotics only in specific situations, 66 (43.7%) regularly, and 5 (3.3%) did not prescribe antibiotics at all. Overall, 83 participants who prescribe antibiotics did so both pre- and postoperatively (57.2%), 47 only preoperatively (32.4%) and 12 exclusively postoperatively (8.3%). A single dose of 2000 mg of amoxicillin orally one hour prior to surgery was the most prescribed preoperative regimen. The most frequently prescribed postoperative regimen was 500 mg of amoxicillin three times daily for five days after surgery. On average, participants prescribe a total of 7018 mg of antibiotics before, during or after oral implant surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis in conjunction with oral implant surgery is prescribed in the Netherlands on a large scale, and recommendations based on the last published evidence are frequently not followed.

Dynamics of inflammation biomarkers C-reactive protein, leukocytes, neutrophils, and CD64 on neutrophils before and after major surgical procedures to recognize potential postoperative infection.

BACKGROUND: Major trauma and soft tissue injuries result in a substantial activation of systemic immune response and post-traumatic complications such as postoperative infections. The aim was to assess the dynamics of expressed inflammatory biomarkers after surgery and to detect possible postoperative infection. METHODS: A total of 229 patients were included and separated into three different groups, depending on the procedure they underwent (colorectal, maxillofacial, open heart surgery). Biomarkers CD64 on neutrophils, C-reactive protein (CRP), count of leucocytes and neutrophils were measured to detect postoperative infection. RESULTS: The values of all biomarkers after surgery were generally elevated and had then dropped 48 h after the procedure. The levels were dependent on the type of operation and showed higher levels after more serious procedures. In the patients with postoperative infections the values were considerably higher. Moreover, biomarkers' cut-off values for positive infection were higher from patients who underwent surgery, compared to the cut-off values from patients with no surgical procedure. CD64 index was the only biomarker that could predict postoperative infection (p < 0.001). Other biomarkers could not statistically predict the infection. CONCLUSIONS: Newly acquired postoperative infection is difficult to diagnose using just biomarkers due to the strong activation of immune response. CD64 index with its slightly higher cut-off (> 1.27) is the only biomarker that could be used as a diagnostic tool to rapidly detect postoperative bacterial infection.

Total joint arthroplasty: should patients have preoperative dental clearance?

Obtaining dental clearance prior to elective total joint arthroplasty is a common practice; however, little published data exist to justify this requirement. Dental clearance data for 365 elective total knee and total hip arthroplasty patients were gathered prospectively. Of these patients, 358 (average age of 62.4 years; 157 men and 201 women; 152 primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), 16 revision TKA arthroplasties, one conversion TKA, 168 primary total hip (THAs) arthroplasties and 21 revision THA arthroplasties) proceeded to surgery and follow-up data were available for 355. A comparison group of 218 hip fracture patients (average age of 78.7 years; 52 men and 109 women; 137 THA and 81 hemiarthroplasties) with no preoperative dental clearance who were treated with hip arthroplasty was extracted retrospectively from an institutional database. Follow-up data were available for 161 of these patients. The incidence of dental pathology in the elective arthroplasty group was 8.8%. Early postoperative infection requiring surgical treatment occurred in six patients (1.7%) in the dental clearance elective arthroplasty group and in four patients (2.5%) in the hip fracture arthroplasty group. No statistical difference was found between the two groups. This suggests that the perceived need for routine preoperative dental screening for all hip and knee arthroplasty patients should be reassessed.

Preoperative and Postoperative Salivary Bacterial Counts in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pneumonia may develop in infants after cardiac surgery; however, only a few reports are available on perioperative oral bacteria in infants. This study aimed to examine preoperative and postoperative salivary bacterial counts in infants undergoing cardiac surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The number of bacteria in the saliva of 105 infants (average age: 20 months) who underwent surgery for congenital heart disease was determined by culturing before and after surgery. Factors associated with changes in the bacterial count were further examined. Patients received systemic antimicrobials for an average of four days immediately before surgery. RESULTS: Postoperative salivary bacterial counts were higher in older patients, who had erupting teeth and had longer surgical times. The average number of colonies before surgery was 104.53 CFU/mL; on the day after surgery, this number significantly decreased to 103.68 CFU/mL. The rate of reduction was especially high in infants without tooth eruption. The total number of bacterial colonies in saliva decreased after surgery, most likely because of the use of systemically administered antibiotics, and the rate of decrease was particularly high in infants without tooth eruptions. CONCLUSION: This study examined the preoperative and postoperative salivary bacterial counts in infants undergoing cardiac surgery. In the future, we would like to further examine bacterial flora and the effects of perioperative oral care. This study provides insights into the development of new strategies for preventing and treating surgical site infections and pneumonia in children.

Radiological findings associated with postoperative wound infection after extraction of impacted mandibular third molar: A retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Studies directly relating radiological findings to the risk of postoperative wound infection (PWI) in impacted mandibular third molars (M3) are limited and poorly understood. This study aimed to clarify the radiological risk of PWI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients who developed PWI after M3 extraction were retrospectively analyzed using orthopantomography (OPG) and computed tomography (CT) before M3 extraction to determine the association between M3 impaction status and PWI. These were compared with an equal number of non-infected groups. Moreover, the possibility of assessing the same risk in OPG as in CT imaging was examined. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified class III and position B of the Pell and Gregory classification system as independent risk factors for PWI. On CT, an axial overlap distance (AOD) >3.5 mm was significantly associated with PWI. Furthermore, the sagittal overlap distance (SOD) and AOD of the OPG were significantly greater in group III-B. A strong positive correlation was observed between SOD and AOD. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that class III, position B, and an AOD >3.5 mm may be novel risk factors for M3 PWI. The strong correlation between SOD and AOD suggests that the risk assessment for PWI can be performed by evaluating OPG alone.

Effective Oral Indicators With Medical and Dental Collaboration in Open Heart Surgery: A Representative Survey.

Purpose Postoperative infections pose an important problem for patients with cardiac disease. Moreover, oral health status is associated with the risk of longer hospital stays. Therefore, the oral health status of patients was assessed before open-heart surgery. This study aimed to determine the relationship between oral health status and postoperative status. Methods The study included 25 patients who underwent open-heart surgery at our university hospital in 2020. Upon admission, dentists conducted an oral examination and assessed the oral health status of the patients, also using the Japanese version of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT-J), Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG), oral moisture level, oral bacteria, and other relevant factors. The study investigated the association with postoperative status. Findings Significant postoperative infections were found in patients aged ≥70 years, with an OHAT-J score of ≥5, OHAT-J lip score of ≥1, Streptococcus γ count of 1.0 × 10^6 or higher (CFU/mL), and increased Streptococcus γ before and after surgery. The duration of hospitalization correlated with the OHAT-J, OHAT-J gum and tissue, and ROAG scores. The duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stays correlated with the OHAT-J score. Conclusions The study demonstrates that OHAT-J scores are linked with predicting not just postoperative infection but also the length of hospitalization and ICU stay. As OHAT-J scores do not necessitate specialized dental instruments, they are straightforward and beneficial for healthcare professionals outside of dentistry.

Effectiveness of Toothbrushing Technique for Biofilm Removal and Postoperative Infection Control after Spinal Fusion Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

This retrospective study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of using a toothbrush, which is commonly used in our daily life, for biofilm removal and infection control in the treatment of spinal infections occurring after spinal fusion surgery. Currently, a biofilm is thought to form on the surface of the metal inserted during spine fusion surgery. We aim to determine the differences in clinical outcomes between using and not using a toothbrush to remove biofilm while performing conventional drainage, curettage, and debridement. A total of 1081 patients who underwent anterior or posterior spinal fusion surgery between November 2018 and October 2022 were screened. The study included 60 patients who developed surgical site infection and underwent incision and drainage surgery either with a toothbrush (n = 20) or without a toothbrush (n = 40). Failure of infection control that requires revision surgery occurred in 2 patients (10%) in the Toothbrush group and in 14 patients (35%) in the No-Toothbrush group (p = 0.039). Thus, the rate of additional surgery was significantly lower in the Toothbrush group. Additionally, normalization of c-reactive protein levels occurred significantly faster in the Toothbrush group (p = 0.044). Therefore, using a toothbrush to treat spinal infections following spinal fusion surgery appears to have beneficial mechanical debridement effects, resulting in improved clinical results, which were also confirmed based on the electron microscopic images.

General Factors and Dental-Related Risk Factors for Postoperative Pneumonia or Infectious Complications: A Retrospective Study.

Numerous studies report that perioperative oral care decreases the frequency of postoperative pneumonia or infection. However, no studies have analyzed the specific impact of oral infection sources on the postoperative course, and the criteria for preoperative dental care differ among institutions. This study aimed to analyze the factors and dental conditions present in patients with postoperative pneumonia and infection. Our results suggest that general factors related to postoperative pneumonia, including thoracic surgery, sex (male > female), the presence or absence of perioperative oral management, smoking history, and operation time, were identified, but there were no dental-related risk factors associated with it. However, the only general factor related to postoperative infectious complications was operation time, and the only dental-related risk factor was periodontal pocket (4 mm or higher). These results suggest that oral management immediately before surgery is sufficient to prevent postoperative pneumonia, but that moderate periodontal disease must be eliminated to prevent postoperative infectious complication, which requires periodontal treatment not only immediately before surgery, but also on a daily basis.

Risk factors for the occurrence of infection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma after restorative reconstruction and its impact on recurrence and quality of life: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Worldwide, there are approximately 300,000 new cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 100,000 deaths each year. The complexity of oral and maxillofacial structures leads to a high risk of surgical infection such as radical tumor resection and free flap reconstruction. Previous studies have shown that diabetes mellitus, previous radiotherapy, oral-neck communication, etc. are risk factors for postoperative infection, but the influence of time on prognosis has not been clarified in detail. This study supplements this aspect and provided a reference for improving the quality of life of patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 168 patients who developed OSCC from July 2014 to September 2019. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study, the general data questionnaire designed by ourselves was used to sort out the general characteristics and clinical data of the subjects. The t test, Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Surgical site infections (SSI) are defined as infections associated with surgical procedures. The quality of life was evaluated by the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) score. A 3-year follow-up was conducted by telephone, Email and outpatient review. Results: Among the 168 patients, the total number of postoperative infections was 22 (13.1%). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) (OR =0.029, P=0.039), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (OR =21.443, P=0.042), preoperative radiotherapy (OR =19.993, P=0.022), Jaw resection status (OR =29.665, P=0.021), Perioperative transfusion (OR =29.148, P=0.020), preoperative white blood cell count (OR =1.763, P=0.017), albumin level (OR =0.853, P=0.033) were independent influencing factors between the two groups (P<0.05). Except for the social functioning and role-emotional dimensions, all dimensions of SF-36 in patients with infection were significantly lower than those without infection. Conclusions: The incidence of postoperative infection after restorative and reconstructive surgery for OSCC deserves the attention of clinicians. For high-risk infected persons, relevant anti-infection measures should be taken early against the infectious source, and the possibility of nosocomial infection should be attached great importance in clinical work. After discharge, patients should also actively do follow-up, education and other related work to reduce the incidence of postoperative infection.

Zein nanospheres assisting inorganic and organic drug combination to overcome stent implantation-induced thrombosis and infection.

The complication of stent implantation is the biggest obstacle to the success of its clinical application. In this study, we developed a combination way of 3D printing and the coating technique for preparation of functional polyurethane stents against stent implantation-induced thrombosis and postoperative infection. SEM, XPS, static water contact angle, and XRD demonstrated that the functional polyurethane stent had a 37 µm-thickness membrane composed of zein nanospheres (250-350 nm). Meanwhile, ZnO nanoparticles were encapsulated in zein nanospheres while heparin was adsorbed on the surface, causing 97.1 ± 6.4 % release of heparin in 120 min (first-order kinetic model) and 62.7 ± 5.6 % release of Zn2+ in 9 days (Korsmeyer-Peppas model). The mechanical analysis revealed that the functional polyurethane stents had about 8.61 MPa and 2.5 MPa tensile strength and bending strength, respectively. The in vitro biological analysis showed that the functional polyurethane stents had good EA.hy926 cells compatibility (97.9 ± 3.8 %), anti-coagulation response (comparable plasma protein, platelet adhesion and suppressed clotting) and sustained antibacterial activities by comparison with the bare polyurethane stent. The preliminary evaluation by rabbit ex vivo carotid artery intervention experiment demonstrated that the functional polyurethane stents could maintain blood circulation under the continuous stresses of blood flow. Meanwhile, the detailed data from the simulated implant infection experiment in vivo showed the functional polyurethane stents could effectively reduce microbial infection by 3-6 times lower and improve fibrosis and macrophage infiltration.

Microbiological Evaluation of Four Different Suture Materials Used for the Surgical Removal of Impacted Lower Third Molars: A Single-Center Prospective Comparative Study.

Introduction Sutures play a crucial role in the postoperative healing process, as they help approximate wound edges, promote hemostasis, and support tissue healing. The oral cavity harbors a diverse microbial population, and oral surgical procedures can introduce potential pathogens into the surgical site. Understanding the impact of suture material on wound infection rates and the colonization of potentially harmful microorganisms is vital for improving patient outcomes. This study was aimed to evaluate and compare the microbiological properties of prolene, vicryl plus, monocryl, and silk sutures used after the surgical removal of impacted lower third molars. Materials and methods A total of 40 patients requiring surgical extraction of impacted lower third molars were assigned to four groups: prolene, vicryl plus, monocryl, and silk sutures. Surgical extraction of impacted tooth was done, and wound was sutured with the abovementioned four different materials in four groups, respectively. After seven days, the sutures were removed and sent to the microbiology lab for colony count assessment. Total microbial colony count, streptococcus count, and lactobacillus count were assessed. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) with p-values less than 0.05 considered as statistically significant. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey test were done to compare intergroup relations. Results The microbiological evaluation of the sutures revealed significant differences in bacterial colonization among the four groups. More bacterial quantities were found in the silk group followed by the monocryl, vicryl plus, and prolene groups in the descending order. Prolene demonstrated the lowest incidence of bacterial growth (p<0.001) compared to vicryl plus, monocryl, and silk sutures. Bacterial colony count was highest in the silk group. The predominant bacterial species found in all groups were Streptococcus viridans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Lactobacillus.  Conclusion It was found that prolene and vicryl plus sutures exhibited superior microbiological properties compared to monocryl and silk sutures when used for the surgical removal of impacted lower third molars. The lower incidence and less quantity of bacterial colonization on prolene sutures suggest their potential for reducing the risk of postoperative infection; hence, these sutures can be preferred for oral surgical procedures.

Role of Peri- and Postoperative Antibiotics in Microscopic Laryngeal Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: There are no widely accepted guidelines for the use of peri- and postoperative antibiotics for microdirect laryngoscopy (MDL) to prevent postoperative surgical site infection (SSI). This study examines the incidence of not only SSI, but also respiratory and oropharyngeal infections among patients who underwent MDL. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. METHODS: Medical records from a quaternary laryngology practice were reviewed retrospectively for patients who underwent MDL between October 2015 and December 2018. Adults who underwent MDL with excision of nonmalignant masses, vocal fold (VF) reconstruction with buccal graft, superficial VF injection, VF injection augmentation, use of carbon dioxide (CO2) or potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser, and laryngeal dilation were included. Subjects were divided into three groups based on the use of antibiotics during the peri- or postoperative period. Group 1 did not receive peri- or postoperative antibiotics. Group 2 received perioperative antibiotics without postoperative antibiotics. Group 3 received both peri- and postoperative antibiotics. Antibiotic use was determined by surgeon policy, which changed over time, not by patient risk factors. Other data collected include demographics, medical comorbidities, surgical procedure, operative time, American Society of Anesthesiology class, incidence of SSI, respiratory or oropharyngeal infection, and postoperative antibiotic and steroid prescriptions for complications. RESULTS: 190 surgeries met inclusion criteria. Groups 1, 2, and 3 consisted of 113, 57, and 20 subjects, respectively. No SSI were reported. Baseline characteristics of median age, American Society of Anesthesiology, wound class, and gender did not differ between groups. Groups were found to have differed in type of procedure performed, with a predominance of vocal fold excision and superficial injection in Group 1, injection laryngoplasty using autologous fat graft and laryngeal reconstruction in Group 3, and a combination of procedure types in Group 2. Laser treatment with CO2 and/or KTP was utilized in 35% of procedures. The mean operative times (total time in which the laryngoscope remained in the oral cavity) for Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 29 (SD = 13), 42 (SD = 23), and 73 minutes (SD = 78), respectively; this was significantly different among the three groups (P < 0.0001). By logistic regression models, operative time was not significantly associated with the overall use of antibiotics (Χ2 = 1.81, P = 0.18) or corticosteroid (Χ2 = .05, P = .82) prescriptions during follow-up. In Groups 1, 2, and 3, 11%, 14%, and 10% of patients, respectively, required a follow-up antibiotic prescription for non-SSI and 11%, 12%, and 0% of patients, respectively, required a follow-up corticosteroid prescription within 30 days postoperatively. There was no significant difference in patients with diabetes or pulmonary comorbidity and patients without comorbidity in use of postoperative antibiotic (P = .45) or corticosteroid (P > .99) prescription. Within 30 days of follow-up, patients in Group 1 experienced VF hemorrhage (defined as any subepithelial blood in the area of excision) at an incidence of 19%. Complications within 30 days of follow-up showed an incidence of substantial pain ranging between 2%-4% and respiratory or oropharyngeal infection between 10%-12%. Two patients in Group 2 reported emergency department visits for dyspnea. One patient in Group 3 was admitted for tongue and floor of mouth swelling secondary to prolonged suspension. CONCLUSION: There were no incidents of SSI in this cohort. The need for follow-up antibiotic and/or corticosteroid prescription did not differ in relation to use or non-use of perioperative antibiotics, and neither did the incidence of respiratory or oropharyngeal infection. Longer operative time was associated with both peri- and postoperative antibiotic use, but there is no evidence yet that antibiotic use was necessary. These findings suggest that avoidance of routine perioperative and/or postoperative antibiotics may be appropriate; and further research should be encouraged.