Bivona LJ, Camacho JE, Usmani F, Nash A, Bruckner JJ, Hughes M, Bhandutia AK, Koh EY, Banagan KE, Gelb DE, Ludwig SC. The Prevalence of Bacterial Infection in Patients Undergoing Elective ACDF for Degenerative Cervical Spine Conditions: A Prospective Cohort Study With Contaminant Control.
Global Spine J 2021;
11:13-20. [PMID:
32875844 PMCID:
PMC7734272 DOI:
10.1177/2192568219888179]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN
Prospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the prevalence of bacterial infection, with the use of a contaminant control, in patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).
METHODS
After institutional review board approval, patients undergoing elective ACDF were prospectively enrolled. Samples of the longus colli muscle and disc tissue were obtained. The tissue was then homogenized, gram stained, and cultured in both aerobic and anaerobic medium. Patients were classified into 4 groups depending on culture results. Demographic, preoperative, and postoperative factors were evaluated.
RESULTS
Ninety-six patients were enrolled, 41.7% were males with an average age of 54 ± 11 years and a body mass index of 29.7 ± 5.9 kg/m2. Seventeen patients (17.7%) were considered true positives, having a negative control and positive disc culture. Otherwise, no significant differences in culture positivity was found between groups of patients. However, our results show that patients were more likely to have both control and disc negative than being a true positive (odds ratio = 6.2, 95% confidence interval = 2.5-14.6). Propionibacterium acnes was the most commonly identified bacteria. Two patients with disc positive cultures returned to the operating room secondary to pseudarthrosis; however, age, body mass index, prior spine surgery or injection, postoperative infection, and reoperations were not associated with culture results.
CONCLUSION
In our cohort, the prevalence of subclinical bacterial infection in patients undergoing ACDF was 17.7%. While our rates exclude patients with positive contaminant control, the possibility of contamination of disc cultures could not be entirely rejected. Overall, culture results did not have any influence on postoperative outcomes.
Collapse