title: Early postoperative candida colonization in alimentary canal in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the frequency and factors predisposing to candidiasis in the digestive tract in the early postoperative period after open heart surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients undergoing open heart surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups in regard to Candida spp. colonization. Group A means increased Candida spp. colonization after open heart surgery (31/100). Group B indicates unchanged Candida spp. colonization after open heart surgery (69/100). Samples were obtained from both oral and anal mucosa in 3 different periods of operation: 1) preoperatively (stage 1), 2) at the end of the first hour in the intensive care unit (stage 2), 3) 24 hours after operation (stage 3). Findings were compared with both preoperative and intraoperative parameters. For fungal isolation Sabourauds dextrose agar and blood agar were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Group A (31), there was a significant relationship between the samples in stage 1 and 2 (p=0.031), and also a significance between stage 1 and 3 (p=0.048). Comparison between Candida positive and negative groups (Group A and B) did not reflect any statistical significance (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Candida colonization in the alimentary canal in the early postoperative period after open heart surgery is due to individual preoperative features. However, early postoperative Candida colonization in the digestive tract is not a risk factor for sepsis unless the patient has an additional risk factor leading to prolongation of length of stay in the intensive care unit.
authors.affiliation: Inönü University Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Malatya, Turkey. ilkeralat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alat
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuzucu
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Akpinar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egri
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Battaloglu
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Cihan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000382:microbiology*; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors