title: Failure of preoperative cultures to predict development of Staphylococcus aureus wound infections after cardiac surgery.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wiens
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miedzinski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002435:Cefamandole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D002435:Cefamandole; D002512:Cephalothin