TY - JOUR
T1 - Nonwound infections following head and neck oncologic surgery
AU - Weber, Randal S.
AU - Hankins, Patti
AU - Rosenbaum, Beverly
AU - Raad, Isaam
PY - 1993/1
Y1 - 1993/1
N2 - Little information exists regarding the comorbidity of postoperative nonwound infections (NWIs) in patients with head and neck cancer. Prospectively, 225 patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either clindamycin or ampicillin sodium/sulbactam sodium for prevention of postoperative wound infection. Of the 113 patients receiving clindamycin, 14 developed nonwound infections, compared with 10 of 112 patients receiving ampicillin/sulbactam. A single site of nonwound infection occurred in 21 patients, and 2 sites occurred in 3 patients. The majority of infections were pulmonary (22), followed by urinary tract (3), septic phlebitis (1), and acute sinusitis (1). Gram-negative organisms were isolated more frequently among patients on clindamycin (18) versus ampicillin/sulbactam (6) (P=.014). Risk factors for pulmonary nonwound infection included: longer surgery, a greater than 70 packs per year smoking history, blood transfusion, and hypoalbuminemia (P<.05). Nonwound infections produce significant postoperative morbidity and the predominance of gram-negative organisms isolated from these infections has therapeutic implications.
AB - Little information exists regarding the comorbidity of postoperative nonwound infections (NWIs) in patients with head and neck cancer. Prospectively, 225 patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either clindamycin or ampicillin sodium/sulbactam sodium for prevention of postoperative wound infection. Of the 113 patients receiving clindamycin, 14 developed nonwound infections, compared with 10 of 112 patients receiving ampicillin/sulbactam. A single site of nonwound infection occurred in 21 patients, and 2 sites occurred in 3 patients. The majority of infections were pulmonary (22), followed by urinary tract (3), septic phlebitis (1), and acute sinusitis (1). Gram-negative organisms were isolated more frequently among patients on clindamycin (18) versus ampicillin/sulbactam (6) (P=.014). Risk factors for pulmonary nonwound infection included: longer surgery, a greater than 70 packs per year smoking history, blood transfusion, and hypoalbuminemia (P<.05). Nonwound infections produce significant postoperative morbidity and the predominance of gram-negative organisms isolated from these infections has therapeutic implications.
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U2 - 10.1288/00005537-199301000-00006
DO - 10.1288/00005537-199301000-00006
M3 - Article
C2 - 8421415
AN - SCOPUS:0027448373
SN - 0023-852X
VL - 103
SP - 22
EP - 27
JO - Laryngoscope
JF - Laryngoscope
IS - 1
ER -