Pub Date : 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1177/10962964261421857
Ahmad El Nouiri, Hadi Hamdan, Camden Gardner, Fateh Ahmad, Jeffrey L Johnson
Introduction: Facial fractures account for over 400,000 emergency department visits annually in the United States. They are managed operatively, non-operatively, or via observation with diet and activity modification. Regardless of management, antibiotic agents are commonly prescribed. The Surgical Infection Society (SIS) published the 2020 guidelines limiting antibiotic agent use to the peri-operative period.
Methodology: We performed a retrospective chart review to evaluate antibiotic agent prescribing practices for patients with isolated facial fractures at an academic level-one trauma center. We assessed potential antibiotic agent days saved by adhering to SIS guidelines. Patients 18 and older presenting to the trauma service with a facial fracture from January 2019 to August 2024 were identified from the trauma registry. Patients with clear antibiotic agent indications (e.g., open fractures) were excluded. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used.
Results: The number of potentially saved antibiotic agent days was 495. Of 119 patients, 89.1% received antibiotic agents, 57.6% at least twice. A total of 80.2% of antibiotic agents given were against SIS recommendations. The antibiotic agent administration rate for mandibular fractures was 97%. Operative management accounted for 93.2% of cases. Antibiotic agent use did not significantly differ between operative and non-operative management (p = 0.18) or between open and closed operative cases (p = 0.99). In operative cases, appropriate peri-operative antibiotic agents were used 89.9% of the time, with 47.5% pre-operative and 63.6% post-operative non-guideline use. Segmented logistic regression showed no statistically significant reduction in non-guideline antibiotic agent use after the guidelines were published. The 30-day post-operative surgical site infection rate was 3.4%, with no significant difference between guideline and non-guideline use.
Conclusion: There is substantial discordance between real-world antibiotic agent prescribing practices and SIS guideline recommendations for facial fractures. Quantifying excess non-guideline antibiotic agent use highlights an important opportunity for antimicrobial agent stewardship and provides a foundation for future quality improvement initiatives.
{"title":"Assessing the Gap: Surgical Infection Society Guidelines Versus Real-World Antibiotic Agent Use in Facial Fractures.","authors":"Ahmad El Nouiri, Hadi Hamdan, Camden Gardner, Fateh Ahmad, Jeffrey L Johnson","doi":"10.1177/10962964261421857","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261421857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Facial fractures account for over 400,000 emergency department visits annually in the United States. They are managed operatively, non-operatively, or via observation with diet and activity modification. Regardless of management, antibiotic agents are commonly prescribed. The Surgical Infection Society (SIS) published the 2020 guidelines limiting antibiotic agent use to the peri-operative period.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We performed a retrospective chart review to evaluate antibiotic agent prescribing practices for patients with isolated facial fractures at an academic level-one trauma center. We assessed potential antibiotic agent days saved by adhering to SIS guidelines. Patients 18 and older presenting to the trauma service with a facial fracture from January 2019 to August 2024 were identified from the trauma registry. Patients with clear antibiotic agent indications (e.g., open fractures) were excluded. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of potentially saved antibiotic agent days was 495. Of 119 patients, 89.1% received antibiotic agents, 57.6% at least twice. A total of 80.2% of antibiotic agents given were against SIS recommendations. The antibiotic agent administration rate for mandibular fractures was 97%. Operative management accounted for 93.2% of cases. Antibiotic agent use did not significantly differ between operative and non-operative management (p = 0.18) or between open and closed operative cases (p = 0.99). In operative cases, appropriate peri-operative antibiotic agents were used 89.9% of the time, with 47.5% pre-operative and 63.6% post-operative non-guideline use. Segmented logistic regression showed no statistically significant reduction in non-guideline antibiotic agent use after the guidelines were published. The 30-day post-operative surgical site infection rate was 3.4%, with no significant difference between guideline and non-guideline use.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is substantial discordance between real-world antibiotic agent prescribing practices and SIS guideline recommendations for facial fractures. Quantifying excess non-guideline antibiotic agent use highlights an important opportunity for antimicrobial agent stewardship and provides a foundation for future quality improvement initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261421857"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1177/10962964261419644
Jongmin Won, Seong Jun Ryu, Seung Yong Song
Purpose: Breast operations have a surgical site infection rate of <1.5%, a figure that increases to 3% after implant-based reconstructions. We aimed to assess whether contamination occurred before implant insertion and could be related to post-operative infections.
Patients and methods: The reconstruction team prepared the surgical field using a betadine solution and standard draping. After the surgical procedures, the antiseptic was re-applied around the incision, the surgical field re-draped, and the gloves changed before implant insertion. Immediately before the betadine application and re-draping, swab cultures were collected from the peri-areolar regions and margins of the exposed field. Any signs of infection were checked during the 2-year follow-up.
Results: A total of 164 cases were included; of these 13 showed positive swab cultures (12 of Staphylococcus epidermidis, and one of Bacillus species). Among them, only one patient developed a post-operative infection necessitating the insertion of a Hemovac drain at 42 days after a surgical procedure. Among the 151 patients with negative swab culture results, 10 patients received a diagnosis of post-operative infections; follow-up cultures primarily identified S. aureus (three methicillin-sensitive cases, four methicillin-resistant cases), whereas two were culture-negative.
Conclusion: Residual contamination may persist despite the initial surgical site sterilization. The re-application of antiseptics and re-draping immediately before implant insertion may help reduce post-operative infections and should be considered an adjunct to comprehensive peri-operative protocols. Some infections may be more closely related to post-operative management than pre-implant field contamination, underscoring the need for meticulous post-operative care. Definitive causal relationships should be tested using rigorously designed and adequately powered studies.
{"title":"Re-sterilization Prior to Implant Insertion in Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction: Is It Necessary?","authors":"Jongmin Won, Seong Jun Ryu, Seung Yong Song","doi":"10.1177/10962964261419644","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261419644","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Breast operations have a surgical site infection rate of <1.5%, a figure that increases to 3% after implant-based reconstructions. We aimed to assess whether contamination occurred before implant insertion and could be related to post-operative infections.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>The reconstruction team prepared the surgical field using a betadine solution and standard draping. After the surgical procedures, the antiseptic was re-applied around the incision, the surgical field re-draped, and the gloves changed before implant insertion. Immediately before the betadine application and re-draping, swab cultures were collected from the peri-areolar regions and margins of the exposed field. Any signs of infection were checked during the 2-year follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 164 cases were included; of these 13 showed positive swab cultures (12 of <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i>, and one of <i>Bacillus</i> species). Among them, only one patient developed a post-operative infection necessitating the insertion of a Hemovac drain at 42 days after a surgical procedure. Among the 151 patients with negative swab culture results, 10 patients received a diagnosis of post-operative infections; follow-up cultures primarily identified <i>S. aureus</i> (three methicillin-sensitive cases, four methicillin-resistant cases), whereas two were culture-negative.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Residual contamination may persist despite the initial surgical site sterilization. The re-application of antiseptics and re-draping immediately before implant insertion may help reduce post-operative infections and should be considered an adjunct to comprehensive peri-operative protocols. Some infections may be more closely related to post-operative management than pre-implant field contamination, underscoring the need for meticulous post-operative care. Definitive causal relationships should be tested using rigorously designed and adequately powered studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261419644"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1177/10962964261421063
Colin Rivet, Yamuna Carey, Tovy Kamine
Background: Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are life-threatening surgical emergencies characterized by rapid tissue destruction, systemic toxicity, and high mortality. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are critical.
Case presentation: A previously healthy 28-year-old male presented with one week of right shoulder and chest wall pain. Initially diagnosed with muscle strains via MRI, he re-presented to the emergency department five days later with hypotension. Blood cultures grew Streptococcus pyogenes, and imaging revealed extensive soft tissue involvement. Emergent fasciotomy and serial debridement revealed NSTI extending from the right shoulder to the scrotum and contralateral shoulder. Despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, debridements, continuous renal replacement therapy, and vasopressors, the patient developed multi-organ failure and died within 24 h of ICU admission.
Conclusion: This case highlights the aggressive nature of NSTIs, the importance of early diagnosis, a non-classical presentation, and the potential for rapid progression to multi-organ failure and death even in young, previously healthy individuals.
{"title":"Rapidly Progressive Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection of the Chest Wall After Skeletal Muscle Injury in a Healthy Young Adult Leading to Death: A Case Report.","authors":"Colin Rivet, Yamuna Carey, Tovy Kamine","doi":"10.1177/10962964261421063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261421063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are life-threatening surgical emergencies characterized by rapid tissue destruction, systemic toxicity, and high mortality. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are critical.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A previously healthy 28-year-old male presented with one week of right shoulder and chest wall pain. Initially diagnosed with muscle strains via MRI, he re-presented to the emergency department five days later with hypotension. Blood cultures grew <i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i>, and imaging revealed extensive soft tissue involvement. Emergent fasciotomy and serial debridement revealed NSTI extending from the right shoulder to the scrotum and contralateral shoulder. Despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, debridements, continuous renal replacement therapy, and vasopressors, the patient developed multi-organ failure and died within 24 h of ICU admission.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case highlights the aggressive nature of NSTIs, the importance of early diagnosis, a non-classical presentation, and the potential for rapid progression to multi-organ failure and death even in young, previously healthy individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261421063"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1177/10962964261419419
Nursel Atay Ünal, Tuğba Bedir Demirdağ, Melis Deniz, Fatih Gök, Pelin Kuzucu, Elif Ayça Şahin, Alp Özgün Börcek, Meltem Polat, Hasan Tezer, Anıl Tapısız
Aims: This study aims to identify epidemiological, microbiological, and laboratory characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt infections in children and evaluate associated risk factors.
Patients and methods: Patients aged 0-18 years who underwent ventricular shunt placement at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2022, were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: A total of 201 shunt procedures performed in 176 patients were analyzed, with infection occurring in 32 cases (15.9%). Infection rates were higher in subgaleal shunts (60%) than ventriculoperitoneal shunts (15.2%) (p = 0.018). Shunt infections developed in 31.7% of procedures involving at least one risk factor, compared with 5.7% of procedures without identified risk factors (p < 0.001). Preterm infants (<37 wks) had a higher infection rate (49%) than those born ≥37 weeks (14.5%) (p < 0.001). Gram-positive microorganisms accounted for 56.3% of infections, most commonly Staphylococcus sp., whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella species were the most frequent gram-negative pathogens (each 12.5%). Patients with gram-negative meningitis had a significantly higher intensive care unit admission rate than those with gram-positive meningitis (p = 0.021). In multivariate analysis, subgaleal shunt placement was associated with increased odds of shunt infection (OR: 12.13; CI: 1.36-107.69) (p = 0.025). In regression analysis, preterm birth was independently associated with an increased risk of shunt infection (OR: 6.12; CI: 2.02-18.56).
Conclusions: Shunt infection rates and microbial patterns align with existing literature. Preterm birth emerged as a major risk factor for shunt infection, whereas subgaleal shunt placement appeared to be a potential risk factor that warrants cautious interpretation and further validation. The increased severity of gram-negative infections underscores the need for stringent monitoring and preventive strategies in high-risk populations.
{"title":"Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Infections in a Pediatric Cohort: Clinical Predictors and Microbiological Insights from a Tertiary Center.","authors":"Nursel Atay Ünal, Tuğba Bedir Demirdağ, Melis Deniz, Fatih Gök, Pelin Kuzucu, Elif Ayça Şahin, Alp Özgün Börcek, Meltem Polat, Hasan Tezer, Anıl Tapısız","doi":"10.1177/10962964261419419","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261419419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>This study aims to identify epidemiological, microbiological, and laboratory characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt infections in children and evaluate associated risk factors.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Patients aged 0-18 years who underwent ventricular shunt placement at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2022, were retrospectively reviewed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 201 shunt procedures performed in 176 patients were analyzed, with infection occurring in 32 cases (15.9%). Infection rates were higher in subgaleal shunts (60%) than ventriculoperitoneal shunts (15.2%) (<i>p</i> = 0.018). Shunt infections developed in 31.7% of procedures involving at least one risk factor, compared with 5.7% of procedures without identified risk factors (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Preterm infants (<37 wks) had a higher infection rate (49%) than those born ≥37 weeks (14.5%) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Gram-positive microorganisms accounted for 56.3% of infections, most commonly <i>Staphylococcus</i> sp., whereas <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and <i>Klebsiella</i> species were the most frequent gram-negative pathogens (each 12.5%). Patients with gram-negative meningitis had a significantly higher intensive care unit admission rate than those with gram-positive meningitis (<i>p</i> = 0.021). In multivariate analysis, subgaleal shunt placement was associated with increased odds of shunt infection (OR: 12.13; CI: 1.36-107.69) (<i>p</i> = 0.025). In regression analysis, preterm birth was independently associated with an increased risk of shunt infection (OR: 6.12; CI: 2.02-18.56).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Shunt infection rates and microbial patterns align with existing literature. Preterm birth emerged as a major risk factor for shunt infection, whereas subgaleal shunt placement appeared to be a potential risk factor that warrants cautious interpretation and further validation. The increased severity of gram-negative infections underscores the need for stringent monitoring and preventive strategies in high-risk populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261419419"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1177/10962964261418871
Yasmin Arda, Vahe S Panossian, Ikemsinachi C Nzenwa, John O Hwabejire, Michael P DeWane, Charudutt N Paranjape, George C Velmahos, Haytham M A Kaafarani
Background: Emergency surgery (ES) is associated with a significantly higher risk of perioperative complications, including infectious, compared with elective surgery. This study aimed to identify the impact of time to surgical procedure and operative duration on infectious complications after ES.
Patients and methods: The 2013-2017 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was utilized to identify all ES patients ≥18 years using the variable "Emergency." Delayed surgical procedure was defined as >12 h and prolonged surgical procedure as >2 h. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, comorbidities, and surgical approach was used to investigate the impact of delayed and prolonged surgical procedure on postoperative infection, defined as the presence of sepsis, septic shock, surgical site infection (i.e., superficial, deep incisional, and organ space), pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the same relationship in emergency general surgery (EGS), identified with Current Procedural Terminology codes, and three subsets of EGS patients: exploratory laparotomy, cholecystectomy, and appendectomy.
Results: Out of 4,299,148 patients, 264,213 were included, of which 24,921 (9.4%) had postoperative infections. Patients with infectious complications were more likely to have comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes), an open surgical approach, delayed surgical procedure (50.4% vs. 39.4%, p < 0.001), and prolonged surgical procedure (31.6% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001). On multivariable analyses, delayed surgical procedure was significantly associated with a 14% higher risk of postoperative infection (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.18), and prolonged surgical procedure was significantly associated with twice the risk (aOR: 1.99; CI: 1.91-2.08). Similarly, delayed and prolonged surgical procedure were significantly associated with infectious complications in the subset of EGS patients (aOR: 1.16; CI: 1.11-1.22, aOR: 1.91; CI: 1.82-2.02, respectively). When examining the 3 sensitivity subsets of patients, prolonged surgical procedure was significantly associated with infectious complications in all cohorts (aOR: 1.45; CI: 1.28-1.64 in exploratory laparotomy, aOR: 1.93; CI: 1.52-2.46 in cholecystectomy, aOR: 2.06; CI: 1.69-2.53 in appendectomy), whereas delayed surgical procedure was significantly associated with infectious complications only in exploratory laparotomy (aOR: 1.23; CI: 1.13-1.33).
Conclusions: Delayed and prolonged surgical procedure are independently associated with increased risk of infectious complications in ES patients, including those undergoing EGS procedures. These findings highlight the importance of early and efficient surgical interventions in ES.
{"title":"Quick and Short: The Impact of Time to Surgery and Operative Duration on Infection Risk in Emergency Surgery.","authors":"Yasmin Arda, Vahe S Panossian, Ikemsinachi C Nzenwa, John O Hwabejire, Michael P DeWane, Charudutt N Paranjape, George C Velmahos, Haytham M A Kaafarani","doi":"10.1177/10962964261418871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261418871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Emergency surgery (ES) is associated with a significantly higher risk of perioperative complications, including infectious, compared with elective surgery. This study aimed to identify the impact of time to surgical procedure and operative duration on infectious complications after ES.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>The 2013-2017 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was utilized to identify all ES patients ≥18 years using the variable \"Emergency.\" Delayed surgical procedure was defined as >12 h and prolonged surgical procedure as >2 h. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, comorbidities, and surgical approach was used to investigate the impact of delayed and prolonged surgical procedure on postoperative infection, defined as the presence of sepsis, septic shock, surgical site infection (i.e., superficial, deep incisional, and organ space), pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the same relationship in emergency general surgery (EGS), identified with Current Procedural Terminology codes, and three subsets of EGS patients: exploratory laparotomy, cholecystectomy, and appendectomy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 4,299,148 patients, 264,213 were included, of which 24,921 (9.4%) had postoperative infections. Patients with infectious complications were more likely to have comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes), an open surgical approach, delayed surgical procedure (50.4% vs. 39.4%, p < 0.001), and prolonged surgical procedure (31.6% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001). On multivariable analyses, delayed surgical procedure was significantly associated with a 14% higher risk of postoperative infection (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.18), and prolonged surgical procedure was significantly associated with twice the risk (aOR: 1.99; CI: 1.91-2.08). Similarly, delayed and prolonged surgical procedure were significantly associated with infectious complications in the subset of EGS patients (aOR: 1.16; CI: 1.11-1.22, aOR: 1.91; CI: 1.82-2.02, respectively). When examining the 3 sensitivity subsets of patients, prolonged surgical procedure was significantly associated with infectious complications in all cohorts (aOR: 1.45; CI: 1.28-1.64 in exploratory laparotomy, aOR: 1.93; CI: 1.52-2.46 in cholecystectomy, aOR: 2.06; CI: 1.69-2.53 in appendectomy), whereas delayed surgical procedure was significantly associated with infectious complications only in exploratory laparotomy (aOR: 1.23; CI: 1.13-1.33).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Delayed and prolonged surgical procedure are independently associated with increased risk of infectious complications in ES patients, including those undergoing EGS procedures. These findings highlight the importance of early and efficient surgical interventions in ES.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261418871"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146107244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1177/10962964261420666
Marco Yanes Anzola, Juan Carlos Salamea, Pablo Ottolino, Manuel Lorenzo, Patricia Martinez Quinones
Surgical site infections (SSIs) and other infectious complications remain a major cause of preventable morbidity across Latin America. SSI prevalence in elective clean and clean-contaminated procedures in Latin America is substantial, and rates may increase further when post-discharge surveillance is incorporated. The XXXVII Panamerican Congress of Trauma, Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, held in Cuenca, Ecuador, convened over 800 clinicians and researchers and featured a dedicated session focused on infectious complications in trauma and burn care. We present a focused narrative synthesis of five highlighted studies addressing infection prevention, diagnosis, and management in burn care, trauma, and emergency general surgery across the Americas. Collectively, these studies reflect the continental efforts to advance surgical infection science in the Americas and reinforce priorities for standardized SSI and intra-abdominal infection surveillance, including post-discharge follow-up, consistent reporting, and multi-center collaboration to accelerate translation of evidence into practice.
{"title":"Advancing Surgical Infection Science in the Americas: Highlights from the 2025 Panamerican Trauma Congress.","authors":"Marco Yanes Anzola, Juan Carlos Salamea, Pablo Ottolino, Manuel Lorenzo, Patricia Martinez Quinones","doi":"10.1177/10962964261420666","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261420666","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Surgical site infections (SSIs) and other infectious complications remain a major cause of preventable morbidity across Latin America. SSI prevalence in elective clean and clean-contaminated procedures in Latin America is substantial, and rates may increase further when post-discharge surveillance is incorporated. The XXXVII Panamerican Congress of Trauma, Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, held in Cuenca, Ecuador, convened over 800 clinicians and researchers and featured a dedicated session focused on infectious complications in trauma and burn care. We present a focused narrative synthesis of five highlighted studies addressing infection prevention, diagnosis, and management in burn care, trauma, and emergency general surgery across the Americas. Collectively, these studies reflect the continental efforts to advance surgical infection science in the Americas and reinforce priorities for standardized SSI and intra-abdominal infection surveillance, including post-discharge follow-up, consistent reporting, and multi-center collaboration to accelerate translation of evidence into practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261420666"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1177/10962964261419732
Stephanie Martinez Ugarte, Mokunfayo O Fajemisin, Chelsea J Guy-Frank, William D Rieger, Renee W Green, John A Harvin, Lillian S Kao
Background: Damage control laparotomy (DCL) rates have declined and remained low. Given DCL's association with surgical site infections (SSIs), we hypothesize that SSI rates and severity, as per Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification, have decreased concurrently.
Patients and methods: A retrospective study was performed on patients (≥16 y) who underwent trauma laparotomy from January 2011 to December 2020. Patients who survived ≤48 hours were excluded. Data were divided into period 1 (January 2011-December 2015, DCL rates declined) and period 2 (January 2016-December 2020, low DCL rates were sustained). SSIs were defined as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and severity was graded by the CD scale (I-V). SSIs were classified as minor (CD grade I-II) and major (CD grade III-V). Uni-variable and multi-variable analyses were performed (p < 0.05).
Results: In total 1,975 patients met the inclusion criteria. Between periods 1 and 2, there was an increase in injury severity score (ISS); (19 [IQR: 10, 29] vs. 21 [IQR: 12, 34], p ≤ 0.001) and penetrating injuries (426 [44%] vs. 513 [51%], p = 0.002), with a decrease in DCL (283 [29%] vs. 153 [15%], p ≤ 0.001). A total of 355 (18%) patients developed an SSI, 18.5% (179) in period 1 and 17.5% (176) in period 2 (p = 0.5). On multi-variable analysis, after controlling for mechanism of injury, emergency room systolic blood pressure, wound classification, large bowel resection, ISS, splenectomy, and operating-room time at index laparotomy, DCL was associated with major SSIs.
Conclusions: Despite decreases in DCL, SSI rates and severity after trauma laparotomy remain stable, potentially because of increased injury severity and penetrating trauma. Identification of other potential modifiable risk factors is needed to decrease SSI incidence and severity.
{"title":"Are Fewer Damage Control Laparotomies Associated with a Decrease in the Rate and Severity of Surgical Site Infections?","authors":"Stephanie Martinez Ugarte, Mokunfayo O Fajemisin, Chelsea J Guy-Frank, William D Rieger, Renee W Green, John A Harvin, Lillian S Kao","doi":"10.1177/10962964261419732","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261419732","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Damage control laparotomy (DCL) rates have declined and remained low. Given DCL's association with surgical site infections (SSIs), we hypothesize that SSI rates and severity, as per Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification, have decreased concurrently.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>A retrospective study was performed on patients (≥16 y) who underwent trauma laparotomy from January 2011 to December 2020. Patients who survived ≤48 hours were excluded. Data were divided into period 1 (January 2011-December 2015, DCL rates declined) and period 2 (January 2016-December 2020, low DCL rates were sustained). SSIs were defined as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and severity was graded by the CD scale (I-V). SSIs were classified as minor (CD grade I-II) and major (CD grade III-V). Uni-variable and multi-variable analyses were performed (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total 1,975 patients met the inclusion criteria. Between periods 1 and 2, there was an increase in injury severity score (ISS); (19 [IQR: 10, 29] vs. 21 [IQR: 12, 34], <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001) and penetrating injuries (426 [44%] vs. 513 [51%], <i>p</i> = 0.002), with a decrease in DCL (283 [29%] vs. 153 [15%], <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). A total of 355 (18%) patients developed an SSI, 18.5% (179) in period 1 and 17.5% (176) in period 2 (<i>p</i> = 0.5). On multi-variable analysis, after controlling for mechanism of injury, emergency room systolic blood pressure, wound classification, large bowel resection, ISS, splenectomy, and operating-room time at index laparotomy, DCL was associated with major SSIs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite decreases in DCL, SSI rates and severity after trauma laparotomy remain stable, potentially because of increased injury severity and penetrating trauma. Identification of other potential modifiable risk factors is needed to decrease SSI incidence and severity.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261419732"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objective: To analyze the clinical outcomes of linezolid (LZD) blood concentration monitoring in the orthopedic department of our hospital, to explore the risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia caused by LZD, and to establish a prediction model.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed orthopedic patients treated with LZD at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2021 to December 2024. Eligible patients had concentration testing and complete platelet count data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for thrombocytopenia. A nomogram was developed on the basis of independent predictors to predict the probability of thrombocytopenia.
Results: 117 patients were enrolled, of which 18 were evaluated for linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia (LIT). Univariate analysis revealed that age, red blood cell count, albumin, creatinine clearance, and LZD trough concentration were statistically significant in relation to LIT; multifactorial logistic regression analysis indicated that the LZD trough concentration was strongly associated with LIT. On the basis of these risk factors, a nomogram was established using R software, and the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic for the subjects in the modeling group was 0.884 (95% confidence interval: 0.800, 0.969). According to the nomogram results, the predicted values of the calibration curves were largely consistent with the actual values.
Conclusion: Age, albumin, red blood cell count, LZD trough concentration, and creatinine clearance are all good predictors of LIT. The construction of a nomogram to predict the risk of LIT has greater clinical value, which can be used to guide individualized treatment in the clinical setting.
{"title":"Analysis of Linezolid Blood Concentration and Prediction Modeling of Thrombocytopenia in Orthopedic Patients.","authors":"Tiantian Xu, Lianqi Hu, Qihua Qi, Ying Kong, Fengjun Lai, Yue Xin, Hongwei Peng, Meisong Zhu","doi":"10.1177/10962964251394336","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10962964251394336","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze the clinical outcomes of linezolid (LZD) blood concentration monitoring in the orthopedic department of our hospital, to explore the risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia caused by LZD, and to establish a prediction model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed orthopedic patients treated with LZD at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2021 to December 2024. Eligible patients had concentration testing and complete platelet count data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for thrombocytopenia. A nomogram was developed on the basis of independent predictors to predict the probability of thrombocytopenia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>117 patients were enrolled, of which 18 were evaluated for linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia (LIT). Univariate analysis revealed that age, red blood cell count, albumin, creatinine clearance, and LZD trough concentration were statistically significant in relation to LIT; multifactorial logistic regression analysis indicated that the LZD trough concentration was strongly associated with LIT. On the basis of these risk factors, a nomogram was established using R software, and the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic for the subjects in the modeling group was 0.884 (95% confidence interval: 0.800, 0.969). According to the nomogram results, the predicted values of the calibration curves were largely consistent with the actual values.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Age, albumin, red blood cell count, LZD trough concentration, and creatinine clearance are all good predictors of LIT. The construction of a nomogram to predict the risk of LIT has greater clinical value, which can be used to guide individualized treatment in the clinical setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964251394336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145482824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1177/10962964261417294
Baoli Lin, Xianbing Meng, Ke Pu, Tao Fu, Nanyue Peng, Qingguo Li
Background: Early diagnosis of intracranial bacterial infections following neurosurgical procedures remains challenging because of delayed or inconclusive pathogen identification. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for early detection of post-neurosurgical procedure bacterial infections by integrating clinical features and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including 429 patients who underwent neurosurgery at Tianjin Huanhu Hospital between November 2018 and December 2024. Patients were randomly divided into training (n = 300) and validation (n = 129) cohorts. Predictive parameters were selected via uni-variable analysis and LASSO regression, followed by multi-variable logistic regression to construct a nomogram. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA).
Results: Among 429 patients, 147 (34.3%) had confirmed CSF bacterial infections. Seven independent predictors were identified: CSF time to operation, CSF color, CSF white blood cell count ≥ 2000 × 106/L, CSF glucose < 1.89 mmol/L, CSF lactate concentration, hyperpyrexia, and slower reaction time. The model achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.822 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.771-0.873) in the training cohort and 0.715 (95% CI: 0.604-0.827) in the validation cohort. DCA demonstrated substantial clinical net benefit across a threshold probability range of 0.1-0.25.
Conclusion: This nomogram-based model provides a practical and reliable tool for early risk stratification of post-neurosurgical procedure intracranial bacterial infections, supporting timely diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making in clinical practice.
{"title":"A Model for Intracranial Bacterial Infection After Neurosurgery Integrating Bacterial Culture and Genetic Testing.","authors":"Baoli Lin, Xianbing Meng, Ke Pu, Tao Fu, Nanyue Peng, Qingguo Li","doi":"10.1177/10962964261417294","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10962964261417294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Early diagnosis of intracranial bacterial infections following neurosurgical procedures remains challenging because of delayed or inconclusive pathogen identification. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for early detection of post-neurosurgical procedure bacterial infections by integrating clinical features and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective study including 429 patients who underwent neurosurgery at Tianjin Huanhu Hospital between November 2018 and December 2024. Patients were randomly divided into training (n = 300) and validation (n = 129) cohorts. Predictive parameters were selected via uni-variable analysis and LASSO regression, followed by multi-variable logistic regression to construct a nomogram. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 429 patients, 147 (34.3%) had confirmed CSF bacterial infections. Seven independent predictors were identified: CSF time to operation, CSF color, CSF white blood cell count ≥ 2000 × 10<sup>6</sup>/L, CSF glucose < 1.89 mmol/L, CSF lactate concentration, hyperpyrexia, and slower reaction time. The model achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.822 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.771-0.873) in the training cohort and 0.715 (95% CI: 0.604-0.827) in the validation cohort. DCA demonstrated substantial clinical net benefit across a threshold probability range of 0.1-0.25.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This nomogram-based model provides a practical and reliable tool for early risk stratification of post-neurosurgical procedure intracranial bacterial infections, supporting timely diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":22109,"journal":{"name":"Surgical infections","volume":" ","pages":"10962964261417294"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146067126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}