title: Anaerobic wound infection: Bacteroides mediastinitis after cardiovascular surgery.
abstract: A case of postoperative anaerobic mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting is reviewed. One of the causative organisms, Bacteroides oralis, has never previously been described as a pathogen causing mediastinitis after median sternotomy incision. There was associated Bacteroides fragilis bacteremia. Only three cases of Bacteroides species mediastinitis after open heart surgery have been reported. This anaerobic bacterium remains a rare pathogen in median sternotomy infections despite the increasing number of cases of mediastinitis seen in association with the burgeoning number of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Multiple risk factors may contribute to mediastinal infections, which occur in about 2% of patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. When infection occurs, aerobic and anaerobic wound cultures should be made and appropriate antimicrobial and surgical therapy instituted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Czachor
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Hawley
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001442:Bacteroides Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents