Effect of triclosan-coated sutures on surgical site infections in pilonidal disease: prospective randomized study

Antimicrobial-coated sutures versus non-coated sutures in reducing surgical site infection: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial-coated sutures are one of the strategies to avoid surgical site infection (SSI) caused by microbial colonization on the surface of surgical sutures.

AIM

To investigate the effectiveness of antimicrobial-coated sutures in reducing SSI and develop the latest systematic evaluation evidence for clinical SSI prevention and the use of antimicrobial-coated sutures.

METHODS

The databases of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, African Index Medicus, and WHO Global Health were searched from October 10th, 1990 to March 3rd, 2023 with language restricted to English, Spanish, and French. Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the impact of antimicrobial-coated sutures on SSI and whether their effectiveness is influenced by the type of sutures or wounds. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on type of sutures and wounds. Finally, quality of the retrieved evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).

FINDINGS

Twenty-six randomized control trials (RCTs) and nine observational studies (OBSs) met the inclusion criteria. Antimicrobial sutures significantly reduced SSI risk (RCTs: odds ratio: 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.63-0.87; P = 0.0002; OBSs: OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48-0.76; P < 0.0001). Only subgroup analysis of Polydioxanone Suture (PDS) Plus vs PDS, Vicryl Plus vs Vicryl and mixed wounds revealed consistent results in favour of antimicrobial-coated sutures. According to GRADE, the quality of RCT evidence is moderate, while that of OBS evidence is low.

CONCLUSION

Antimicrobial-coated sutures are effective in reducing the risk of postoperative SSI among a large number of surgical patients. However, the available evidence is of moderate/low quality and many studies had conflicts of interest.

Plus Sutures for preventing surgical site infection: a systematic review of clinical outcomes with economic and environmental models

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent ~ 20% of all hospital-acquired infections in surgical patients and are associated with prolonged hospital stay, admission to intensive care, and mortality. We conducted a systematic review with economic and environmental models to assess whether triclosan-coated sutures (Plus Sutures) provide benefits over non-coated sutures in the reduction of SSI risk.

METHODS

Searches were conducted in fifteen databases. A total of 1,991 records were retrieved. Following deduplication and screening by two independent reviewers, 31 randomized controlled trials in adults and children were included in the review. Similarity of the studies was assessed by narrative review and confirmed by quantitative assessment. A fixed effects meta-analysis of SSI incidence model including all groups of patients estimated a risk ratio of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.64 to 0.79) indicating those in the Plus Sutures group had a 29% reduction in the risk of developing an SSI compared with those in the control group (p < 0.001). Safety outcomes were analysed qualitatively.

RESULTS

The economic model estimated the use of Plus Sutures to result in average cost savings of £13.63 per patient. Plus Sutures remained cost-saving in all subgroup analyses with cost-savings ranging between £11 (clean wounds) and £140 (non-clean wounds). The environmental impact of SSI is substantial, and the model suggests that the introduction of Plus Sutures could result in potential environmental benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence suggests that Plus Sutures are associated with a reduced incidence of SSI across all surgery types alongside cost savings when compared with standard sutures.

Evaluation of Triclosan coated suture in obstetrical surgery: A prospective randomized controlled study (NCT05330650)

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness of Triclosan coated suture in reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) rate after caesarian delivery (CD).

STUDY DESIGN

Three hundred eighty patients were randomly assigned to closure with polyglactin non coated suture VICRYL, or with polyglactin coated suture VICRYL Plus after caesarian section. The primary outcome was the rate of SSIs within 30 days after surgery and secondary outcomes were the rate of wound healing complications.

RESULTS

SSI rate was 2.5% in Triclosan group compared to 8.1% with non-coated suture. Use of Triclosan coated suture (TCS) was associated with 69% reduction in SSI rate (p = 0.037; ORa:0.294; 95% CI:0.094-0.921). The use of Triclosan coated suture was associated with statistically lower risk of wound oedema (2.5% vs 10%), (p = 0.019; OR:0.595), dehiscence (3.8% vs 10.6%), (p = 0.023; OR:0.316) and hematoma (p = 0.035; OR:0.423).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the effectiveness of Triclosan coated suture in reducing SSI rate and wound healing disturbances.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov / ID (NCT05330650).

Antibacterial Capability of Air Filter Fiber Materials Treated with Triclosan against Indoor Environmental Microbes

Antibacterial filtration materials have been used effectively to control biological pollutants and purify indoor air. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial capability of three fiber filter materials treated with triclosan: glass fiber (GF), non-woven fabric (NF) and chemical fiber (CF). Triclosan was loaded onto the filtration materials by the impregnation method. The triclosan-treated filter materials exhibited antibacterial zones obviously: the average antibacterial bands against E. coli were 11.8 mm (GF), 13.3 mm (NF) and 10.5 mm (CF); against S. albus, they were 25.5 mm (GF), 21.0 mm (NF) and 23.5 mm (CF). The percent reductions of bacteria for the antibacterial air fiber materials treated with triclosan against E. coli were 71.4% (CF) and 62.6% (GF), while the percent reductions against S. albus were 61.3% (NF) and 84.6% (CF). These findings could help to reduce the transmission and threat of epidemic and purify the environment through the use of environmentally friendly antibacterial filter fibers.

Do Triclosan Sutures Modify the Microbial Diversity of Surgical Site Infections? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) report a lower incidence rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) with triclosan sutures (TSs) compared with non-triclosan sutures (NTSs). Do triclosan sutures modify the microbial diversity of culture-confirmed SSIs (ccSSIs)? If so, this would support the association between TS antimicrobial activity and the SSI incidence rate. This prospective systematic literature review (PROSPERO CRD42019125099) was conducted according to PRISMA. RCTs that compared the incidence of SSIs with TSs and NTSs and reported microbial counts from SSI cultures per suture group were eligible. The microbial species were grouped by genus, and the association between genera and sutures was tested. The pooled relative risk (RR) of ccSSIs was also calculated. Twelve RCTs were eligible. No publication bias was identified. The microorganism count was 180 in 124 SSIs with TSs versus 246 in 199 SSIs with NTSs. No significant difference in microbial diversity was found, but statistical power was low for test results to support or challenge the association between the antimicrobial activity of TSs and the reduced rate of SSIs. The RR of the ccSSIs was significant and consistent with comprehensive meta-analyses. The certainty of the pooled RR was moderate.

Evaluation of the effect of triclosan coated sutures in the prevention of surgical site infections in a Spanish hospital setting: A prospective, observational study

Background

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the most frequently reported types of hospital-acquired infection and are associated with substantial clinical and economic burden.

Aim

To assess the incidence of SSIs and analyze contributing risk factors in a real-world Spanish hospital setting before and after the implementation of triclosan-coated sutures (TCS).

Methods

A prospective, observational study was conducted at Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Enrolled patients underwent surgery in the following specialties: general surgery, urology, neurosurgery, gynaecology, and traumatology. The primary outcome of the study was SSI incidence, assessed at a 30-day follow-up. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, and readmission, reintervention, and mortality rates, also at 30 days.

Findings

5,081 patients were included in the study, of which 2,591 were treated using non-coated sutures (NCS) and 2,490 using TCS. After adjusting for potential confounders, TCS significantly reduced SSI rate by 36%, compared with NCS (odds ratio [OR]: 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48-0.85; P<0.003). When stratified by wound classification, a statistically significant reduction in SSI incidence, in favour of TCS use, was observed for Class IV (dirty) wounds (35.6% versus 22.7% for NCS and TCS, respectively; OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.31-0.90).

Conclusion

The use of TCS reduced SSI risk when compared with NCS. This reduction was significant for Class IV wounds, providing evidence that supports the use of TCS for this type of wound.

The prevalence and mechanism of triclosan resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from urine samples in Wenzhou, China

Background

The widespread application of triclosan contributes to its residual deposition in urine, which provides an environment of long-term exposure to triclosan for the intestinal Escherichia coli. We determined the triclosan and antibiotic resistance characteristics of E. coli strains isolated from urine samples and further investigated the resistance mechanism and molecular epidemic characteristics of triclosan-resistant E. coli isolates.

Methods

A total of 200 non-repetitive E. coli strains were isolated from urine samples and then identified. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of triclosan and antibiotics, fabI mutation, efflux pump activity, the expression of 14 efflux pump encoding genes, and epidemiological characteristics were determined by the agar dilution method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) inhibition test, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for all triclosan-resistant isolates. Furthermore, we also investigated the effect of triclosan exposure in vitro on antibiotic susceptibility and the efflux pump encoding gene expressions of triclosan-susceptible strains via serial passage experiments.

Results

Of the 200 E. coli isolates, 2.5% (n = 5) were found to be resistant to triclosan, and multidrug resistance (MDR) and cross-resistance phenotypes were noted for these triclosan-resistant strains. The triclosan-sensitive strains also exhibited MDR phenotypes, probably because of the high resistance rate to AMP, CIP, LVX, and GEN. Gly79Ala and Ala69Thr amino acid changes were observed in the triclosan-resistant strains, but these changes may not mediate resistance of E. coli to triclosan, because mutations of these two amino acids has also been detected in triclosan-susceptible strains. Moreover, except for DC8603, all other strains enhanced the efflux pumps activity. As compared with ATCC 25922, except for fabI, increased expressions were noted for all efflux pump encoding genes such as ydcV, ydcU, ydcS, ydcT, cysP, yihV, acrB, acrD, and mdfA among the studied strains with varying PFGE patterns and STs types. Unexpectedly, 5 susceptible E. coli isolates showed rapidly increasing triclosan resistance after exposure to triclosan in vitro for only 12 days, while MDR or cross-resistance phenotypes and the overexpression of efflux pump genes were recorded among these triclosan-induced resistant isolates.

Conclusions

This is the first study to report that short-term triclosan exposure in vitro increases triclosan resistance in susceptible E. coli isolates. After acquiring resistance, these strains may present MDR or cross-resistance phenotypes. Moreover, triclosan resistance mainly involves the overexpression of fabI and efflux pumps in E. coli isolates.

The use of triclosan-coated sutures to prevent surgical site infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a common and serious complication of all surgical interventions. Microorganisms are able to colonise sutures that are implanted in the skin, which is a causative factor of SSIs. Triclosan-coated sutures are antibacterial sutures aimed at reducing SSIs. Our objective is to update the existing literature by systematically reviewing available evidence to assess the effectiveness of triclosan-coated sutures in the prevention of SSIs.

METHODS

A systematic review of EMBASE, MEDLINE, AMED (Allied and complementary medicine database) and CENTRAL was performed to identify full text randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on 31 May 2019.

INTERVENTION

Triclosan-coated sutures versus non-triclosan-coated sutures.

PRIMARY OUTCOME

Our primary outcome was the development of SSIs at 30 days postoperatively. A meta-analysis was performed using a fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Twenty-five RCTs were included involving 11 957 participants. Triclosan-coated sutures were used in 6008 participants and non triclosan-coated sutures were used in 5949. Triclosan-coated sutures significantly reduced the risk of SSIs at 30 days (relative risk 0.73, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.82). Further sensitivity analysis demonstrated that triclosan-coated sutures significantly reduced the risk of SSIs in both clean and contaminated surgery.

CONCLUSION

Triclosan-coated sutures have been shown to significantly reduced the risk of SSIs when compared with standard sutures. This is in agreement with previous work in this area. This study represented the largest review to date in this area. This moderate quality evidence recommends the use of triclosan-coated sutures in order to reduce the risk of SSIs particularly in clean and contaminated surgical procedures.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42014014856.

Wound Irrigation with Chlorhexidine Gluconate Reduces Surgical Site Infection in Pilonidal Disease: Single-Blind Prospective Study

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether incision irrigation with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) reduces surgical site infections (SSIs) in pilonidal disease surgery. Methods: Between 2013 and 2018, patients who underwent wide excision with primary closure for pilonidal disease were enrolled in this prospective observational multi-institutional cohort. The incision was irrigated with either saline or 0.05% CHG before skin closure. The infection risk of each patient was determined by the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. Post-operative site care and follow-up were carried out according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline by two surgeons blinded to the irrigation solution used. Surgical site infection rates in the saline and 0.05% CHG groups were compared. The secondary outcomes were seroma formation, incision dehiscence, and time to healing. Results: There were 129 patients in the control group and 138 patients in the CHG group. The mean age was 25.1 ± 5.4, and 225 patients (84.3%) were male. Surgical site infection was seen in 35 patients (13.1%): 26 (20.2%) in the control group and 9 (6.5%) in the CHG group (p = 0.001). There were no differences in seroma formation (n = 12; 9.3% in the control vs n = 12; 8.7% in the CHG group; p = 0.515) or incision dehiscence (n = 9; 7% in the control vs n = 9; 6.5% in the CHG group; p = 0.537). The primary healing rate was higher in the CHG group (n = 130; 94.2%) than in the control group (n = 104; 80.6%). Time to healing was 20.5 ± 7.8 days in the control group and 16 ± 4.3 days in the CHG group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Intra-operative incision irrigation with CHG decreased the SSI rate and time to healing in pilonidal disease surgery. Further randomized trials should focus on specific irrigation methods and procedures to build a consensus on the effect of incision irrigation on SSIs.