Use of Suture-Mediated Closure Devices for Closure of Punctures in Prosthetic Patches or Grafts is Associated With High Rates of Technical Success and Low Complication Rates

Objectives Despite the increasing use of endovascular techniques in the management of peripheral vascular disease, there is little data on the safety of percutaneous closure devices in punctures of synthetic vascular material. Our paper sought to address this paucity in the literature by reviewing the incidence of complications occurring in patients in whom the ProGlide device was utilised to achieve haemostasis post-percutaneous puncture of vascular patches and graft materials. Methods A retrospective review of patient records was conducted at a tertiary referral centre. Patients who had undergone percutaneous punctures of prosthetic bypass grafts or patch angioplasties between January 2011 and December 2020 were identified from a prospectively collected database. Medical records and post-procedural imaging were reviewed to assess the occurrence of post-procedural complications such as pseudoaneurysms, puncture site stenosis and further interventions for access complications. Results A total of 73 punctures of prosthetic material were performed in 42 patients, of which 39 utilised ProGlides. Median age of included patients was 72 years. There was male predominance in the cohort (69.8%), and most punctures (87.3%) were through polyurethane patches. Device success rate was 95%, and no patients required open repair. There was a low incidence of complications, with no patients developing pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, ischaemic limbs or > 50% stenosis when either manual pressure or the ProGlide device was used to achieve haemostasis. Furthermore, there were no returns to theatre or further interventions performed for access site complications. Conclusion The use of the ProGlide closure device has a low incidence of complications and its safety appears to be equivalent to manual compression when used to achieve haemostasis in percutaneous punctures of synthetic vascular material in select patients. To our knowledge, this is the only article to date to assess the safety of the ProGlide in this setting.

Individualizing the use of [18F]FDG-PET/CT in patients with complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: experiences from a tertiary care center

Purpose [18F]FDG-PET/CT scanning can help detect metastatic infectious foci and reduce mortality in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB), but it is unknown if patients with SAB and an indication for prolonged treatment because of possible endovascular, orthopaedic implant, or other metastatic infection still need [18F]FDG-PET/CT. Methods In a retrospective single-center cohort study, we included all consecutive adult patients with SAB between 2013 and 2020 if an [18F]FDG-PET/CT scan was performed and antibiotic treatment was planned for ≥ 6 weeks prior to [18F]FDG-PET/CT. We aimed to identify patients for whom treatment was adjusted due to the results of [18F]FDG-PET/CT, and assessed concordance of [18F]FDG-PET/CT and clinical diagnosis for infected prosthetic material. Results Among 132 patients included, the original treatment plan was changed after [18F]FDG-PET/CT in 22 patients (16.7%), in the majority (n = 20) due to diagnosing or rejecting endovascular (graft) infection. Antibiotic treatment modifications were shortening in 2, iv-oral switch in 3, extension in 13, and addition of rifampicin in 4 patients. Ninety additional metastatic foci based on [18F]FDG-PET/CT results were found in 69/132 patients (52.3%). [18F]FDG-PET/CT suggested vascular graft infection in 7/14 patients who lacked clinical signs of infection, but showed no infection of prosthetic joints or osteosynthesis material in eight patients who lacked clinical signs of such an infection. Conclusion [18F]FDG-PET/CT can help refine treatment for SAB in patients with clinically suspected endovascular infection or vascular grafts, even if 6 weeks treatment is already indicated, but can be safely omitted in other patients who are clinically stable.

Yersinia enterocolitica Prosthetic Joint Septic Arthritis Successfully Treated with Ceftriaxone

Yersinia enterocolitica is a Gram-negative coccobacillus that is known to cause gastroenteritis and symptoms mimicking appendicitis or terminal ileitis. It is also one of the culprit infections implicated in causing reactive arthritis. Rarely, it can cause musculoskeletal infections including osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and discitis. We describe the case of a 70-year-old female with multiple comorbidities who presented with left knee pain and swelling after recent gastroenteritis. She was found to have Yersinia enterocolitica septic arthritis in her left knee prosthetic joint. The patient underwent an exchange of her prosthetic material and was successfully treated with a six-week course of ceftriaxone. Our article aims to highlight a rare manifestation of Yersinia enterocolitica infection and to point out an important differential for reactive arthritis after Yersinia enterocolitica infection.

Traumatic wound difficult to heal: use of negative pressure therapy: case report

The skin is one of the largest organs of the anatomy. It is the barrier between the exterior and the first line of defense against aggression. A wound is a loss of continuity of the soft parts of the organism generating an interruption in the structure of the tissue, as a consequence of this loss of continuity, there is a loss of sterility existing inside and infection can occur. Another consequence of discontinuity are possible lesions in adjacent tissues or organs. Trauma results in complex wounds that are difficult to manage due to large skin loss or avulsion of large areas of tissue. Among the factors that can prevent proper healing can be systemic (malnutrition, chemotherapy, steroids) or local (infection, prosthetic material, bone exposure). Among the therapeutic options for complex wounds is negative pressure therapy which generates wound contraction, stabilization of the environment, reduction of edema, removal of exudate and micro-deformations of the surface, increase of angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation and decreased bacterial count. We described a clinical case of traumatic injury at the level of the right pelvic limb in a 70-years-old woman with diabetes and hypertension, in which surgical washing was performed, debridement and use of negative pressure therapy with adequate evolution in a second level public hospital.

Risk Factors For Readmission Among Patients Receiving Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy; A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: In the Netherlands, home treatment with intravenous antimicrobial therapy is a relatively new concept. Although several studies have shown that outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) can be administered safely, people receiving antimicrobials at home remain at risk for adverse events, including readmission.Objectives: The aim of our retrospective study is to identify risk factors for readmission in patients discharged with OPAT.Method: Retrospective cohort study during a period of January 2016 - December 2018. Patients, age > 18 years, discharged with OPAT were included. Variables collected consisted of baseline demographics, complications, readmission within 30 days and treatment failure. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for readmission.Results: A total of 247 patients were included; the most common reason for OPAT was bone and joint infections (17%). Penicillin (37%), cephalosporin (26%) and vancomycin/aminoglycoside (15%) were the most commonly prescribed antimicrobials. Among the patients receiving medication subject to therapeutic drug monitoring (i.e. aminoglycosides or vancomycin), 51% (19/37) received weekly therapeutic drug monitoring. Receiving aminoglycosides or vancomycin (adjusted OR: 2.05; 95% CI, 1.30-3.25, p<0.05) and infection of prosthetic material (adjusted OR: 2.92, 95% CI, 1.11-7.65, p<0.05) were independent risk factors for readmission. Conclusion: Although patients receiving medication subject to therapeutic drug monitoring are at higher risk of readmission, only half of the patients discharged with aminoglycosides or vancomycin were monitored according to IDSA guidelines. A specialized team in charge of monitoring OPAT-patients is likely to increase the rate of monitoring to prevent readmissions and complications.

Long-term patency rate of the translocated autologous saphenous vein versus prosthetic material in vascular access surgery for haemodialysis and parenteral nutrition

Objective: To evaluate the long-term patency rate of the arteriovenous angioaccess (AVA) with interposition of either autologous or prosthetic material as a last option for vascular access in the upper extremity. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review study of all patients who received an AVA with autologous saphenous vein (SV Group, n = 38) or prosthetic material (PTFE Group, n = 25) as a conduit from the year 1996 to 2020 in the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc). Data were retrospectively extracted from two prospectively updated local databases for vascular access, one for haemodialysis (HD) and one for parenteral nutrition (PN). When required, the medical records of each patient were used. Data were eventually collected anonymously and analysed in SPSS 25. Kaplan-Meier life-tables were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Primary patency at 12 and 48 months was 30% and 20% in the SV group and 45% and 14% in the PTFE group. No significant difference was shown in the median primary patency rate ( p = 0.715). Secondary patency at 12 and 48 months was 63% and 39% in the SV group and 55% and 19% in the PTFE group. This was considered a significant difference in median secondary patency in favour of the SV with 41.16 ± 17.67 months against 13.77 ± 10.22 months for PTFE ( p = 0.032). The incidence of infection was significantly lower in the SV group ( p = 0.0002). A Kaplan-Meier curve could not detect a significant difference in secondary patency between the access for haemodialysis and the access for parenteral nutrition. The secondary patency of the SV in parenteral nutrition access, was significantly higher when compared with PTFE ( p = 0.004). Conclusion: The SV can be preferred over PTFE when conduit material is needed for long-term vascular access for HD or PN treatment due to its higher secondary patency and lower infection risk.

Genomic analysis of a rare recurrent Listeria monocytogenes prosthetic joint infection indicates a protected niche within biofilm on prosthetic materials

Listeria monocytogenes is a rare cause of prosthetic joint infections (PJI). In this study, we describe a case of recurrent L. monocytogenes infections, 39 months apart, following debridement and retention of a prosthetic hip. Despite numerous studies reporting persistent L. monocytogenes in human infections, the genomic and phenotypic changes that clinically relevant strains undergo in the host are poorly understood. Improved knowledge of how PJI occurs is needed to improve the management of prosthetic infections. We used a combination of long- and short-read sequencing to identify any potential genomic differences between two L. monocytogenes isolates that occurred over 39-month incubation in the host. The isolates, QI0054 and QI0055, showed three single nucleotide polymorphisms and three insertions or deletions, suggesting that the recurrent infection was caused by the same strain. To identify potential differences in the capacity for persistence of these isolates, their biofilm-forming ability and potential to colonize prosthesis-relevant materials was investigated both in microtitre plates and on prosthetic material titanium, stainless steel 316 and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Whilst the L. monocytogenes isolate from the most recent infection (QI0055) was able to form higher biofilm in microtitre plates, this did not lead to an increase in biomass on prosthetic joint materials compared to the initial isolate (QI0054). Both clinical isolates were able to form significantly more biofilm on the two metal prosthetic materials than on the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, in contrast to reference strain Scott A. Transcriptomics revealed 41 genes overexpressed in biofilm state and 643 in planktonic state. Moreover, genes with mutations were actively expressed in both isolates. We conclude the isolates are derived from the same strain and hypothesize that L. monocytogenes formed biofilm on the prosthetic joint materials, with minimal exposure to stresses, which permitted their survival and growth.

Clinical Report of Six-Month Follow-Up After Cementing PEEK Crown On Molars

To investigate the therapeutic effect of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) crowns, a six-month clinical study on CAD/CAM-fabricated molar PEEK crowns was conducted. Twenty-three cases of PEEK crowns placed on the molars of 20 subjects (7 males and 13 females, mean age: 60.6 ± 14.4 years) were included in the study. The evaluation items were the condition of the crowns at the time of cementation and after six months, patient satisfaction, masticatory ability, and occlusal force. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test with a significance level of 5% was used to examine the difference in masticatory ability with and without PEEK crowns. The occlusion, margin fit, and contact of all 23 cases at the time of cementing was good. Six months after cementation, there was no crown desorption, no fracture or crack, and no prosthodontics was needed in the 22 cases where one patient dropped out. No wear of the dental antagonist was observed. Patient satisfaction was generally high. There was no significant difference in masticatory ability between the groups with and without PEEK crowns. The subject's occlusal force was within normal range. PEEK crowns on molars are highly therapeutic methods and can be fully used as a crown prosthetic material to replace metal.

793. Rifabutin Use in Staphylococcal Prosthetic Material Infections: A Case Series

Background Bacterial biofilm formation is of clinical concern among patients with staphylococcal infections involving prosthetic material. While rifampin has in-vitro, animal and clinical data to support its adjunctive role in these types of infections, its potent induction of multiple cytochrome P450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein transport system proteins can pose significant drug-drug interactions. Rifabutin has comparable in-vitro anti-staphylococcal activity but less drug-drug interaction potential than rifampin. However, minimal clinical data exists to support rifabutin use as adjunctive treatment of prosthetic infections. Methods This case series describes 7 patients who received adjunctive rifabutin for staphylococcal prosthetic material infections between February 2018 and January 2021 at Massachusetts General Hospital. The primary outcome of infection recurrence was defined as need for surgical intervention for suspected or proven recurrence infection within 6 months after starting rifabutin therapy. Incidence of adverse effects was the main secondary outcome. Results Most patients (6/7) had methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and one patient had S. epidermidis infection. Three patients had spinal fusion hardware infection, one patient had hardware-associated spinal osteomyelitis/ diskitis with epidural abscess, two patients had prosthetic joint infection, and one patient had MSSA bacteremia with left ventricular assistance device involvement. All patients except one underwent surgical management prior to starting rifabutin. Infection recurrence was noted in one of seven patients who required surgical washout. Adverse events were uncommon (n=1 treatment-related nausea, n=1 leukopenia). Conclusion This small case series suggests favorable outcomes with use of rifabutin instead of rifampin for staphylococcal infections with prosthetic material involvement. Disclosures Sandra B. Nelson, MD, UpToDate (Other Financial or Material Support, author)

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN NORTH INDIA

BACKGROUND: Surgical Site Infections (SSI) is dened as an infection related to an operative procedure that occurs at or near the surgical incision within 30 days of the procedure, or within 90 days if prosthetic material is implanted at surgery—is among the most common preventable complication after surgery. OBJECTIVES: To study the incidence and risk factors of SSI in our hospital and to nd out the areas which need concern and methods to reduce SSI. METHODOLOGY: Study was conducted over a period of 1 year. A total of 300 cases of General Surgery presented to our hospital were included in the study. A few host factors, wound factors and surgery related factors that cause SSI were studied. Swabs from infected surgical wounds were sent to the department of Microbiology for pus culture and sensitivity. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. RESULTS: Certain associated factors such as increased duration of surgeries (>2hours) and prolonged drain placement were found to be signicantly associated with occurrence of SSI and the surgeries with class 1 (clean) wound showed minimum risk of infection. Escherichia coli (28.75%) was the commonest pathogen, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (27%) and Staphylococcus aureus (20%) .The incidence of SSI in the hospital is 7%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study revealed that in order to decrease the incidence of SSI we need to: a) If possible try to reduce the duration of the surgeries performed b) should give emphasis on drain care c) co-morbidities should be looked for and managed prior to surgery d) a regular monitoring should be done in both emergency and elective operation theatres in order to reduce the risk of SSI.