title: Bacteriological study and its role in the management of open tibial fracture.
abstract: Sixty percent of open fracture wounds are contaminated at the time of injury. Despite that, the necessity for sequential multiple cultures and sensitivity studies for open fractures and their interpretation are still controversial. Predebridement, intraoperative, postoperative swabs and swabs in established infection for culture and sensitivity study were taken in 33 open tibial fractures over a 6 months period. 39.3% of predebridement swabs grew bacteria with the majority yielding gram-positive organism. None of the patients developed infection with similar organisms. 24.2% of the postoperative swabs grew bacteria, of which 75% were gram-negative. 50% of the patients with positive postoperative swabs developed infection. Thus, the role of sequential multiple cultures and sensitivity studies are not helpful in management of open fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medical Science HUSM, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Faisham
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aidura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*