Effects of prolonged stay in hospital on gastric flora.
OBJECTIVE
To find out if a long preoperative stay in hospital results in the introduction of micro-organisms into the gastric flora that are resistant to the usual perioperative chemoprophylaxis.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Greece.


METHODS
145 consecutive patients admitted for abdominal or pelvic operations.


METHODS
Aspiration of gastric fluid for measurement of pH and culture.


METHODS
Growth and type of pathogens in gastric aspirate.


RESULTS
125 patients spent a mean (range) of 13.6 days (7-69) in hospital preoperatively and 20 patients spent 3.1 (1-7) days. In the long-stay group 103 had a gastric pH of <4 and in 22 it was 4 or more; in 40 patients pathogens were grown from the gastric aspirate but resistant Pseudomonas cepacia was grown from only 2. In the short-stay group 16 patients had a pH of <4 and in 4 it was 4 or more; in 4 patients pathogens were grown from the aspirate.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged stay in hospital preoperatively does not seem to affect the gastric flora, so routine chemoprophylaxis should be sufficient in abdominal operations.
Voros
D
D
2nd Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Aretaeion Hospital, Greece.
Datsis
A
A
Demeridou
S
S
Yiantzis
V
V
Danias
N
N
Philippopoulou
A
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000382:microbiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative