title: Efficiency of antibacterial suture material in cardiac surgery: a double-blind randomized prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) still greatly affect mortality and morbidity in cardiovascular surgery. SSI may be related to the suture material. In this prospective, randomized, controlled, and double-blinded study, the effect of antibacterial suture material on SSI in cardiac surgical patients was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly allocated 510 patients into 2 groups. Antibacterial suture materials were used for wound closure in 170 patients (triclosan-coated suture group), and routine suture materials were used in 340 patients (noncoated suture group). All patients were evaluated for SSI on days 10, 20, and 30 following cardiac surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative risk factors and laboratory findings were comparable for the 2 groups. Sternal infection occurred in 4 (2.4%) of the patients in the triclosan-coated suture group and in 3.5% of the noncoated suture group (P > .05). Leg wound infection occurred in 5 (3.5%) of the patients in the triclosan-coated suture group and in 3.8% of the noncoated suture group (P > .05). Only diabetes mellitus was an independent predictor of SSI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both noncoated and triclosan-coated suture materials are safe. Larger studies may be needed to show the benefit and cost-effectiveness, if any, of triclosan-coated materials over noncoated materials.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Nursing Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Marmara University, Istanbul.
authors.forename: Isil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Selimen
authors.forename: Sahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senay
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alhan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007866:Leg / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013249:Sternum / Q000382:microbiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013537:Sutures; D014260:Triclosan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D014260:Triclosan