The use of a sump antibiotic irrigation system to save infected hardware in a patient with a vagal nerve stimulator: technical note.
The authors describe the use of a sump irrigation system that was used to successfully treat the battery implantation site of a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS). Irrigation was composed of a dilution of vancomycin in lactated Ringer's solution. At long-term follow up, the patient has not returned with signs or symptoms of wound infection. She continues to effectively combat her epilepsy with VNS. The authors believe this to be the first description of this technique for salvaging an implanted VNS.
Liechty
Peter G
PG
Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
Tubbs
R Shane
RS
Blount
Jeffrey P
JP
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000628:therapy; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014630:Vagus Nerve; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin