Bacterial Colony Counts During Vaginal Surgery

[摘要] Objective:To describe the bacterial types and colony counts present before and during vaginal surgery.Methods:A descriptive study was undertaken of patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy with or withoutreconstructive pelvic surgery. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures were obtained immediately before andthroughout the surgical cases at preselected time intervals. Standard antimicrobial prophylaxis was administered inall cases. Mean total colony counts and mean anaerobic colony counts were determined by adding all coloniesregardless of bacteria type. ‘Contamination’ was defined as ≥ 5000 colony-forming units/ml.Results:A total of 31 patients aged 26 to 82 years (mean age ± SD, 51 ± 15) were included. The highest total andanaerobic colony counts were found at the first intraoperative time interval. On the first set of cultures (30 minutesafter the surgical scrub), 52% (16/31) of the surgical fields were contaminated, and at 90 minutes, 41% (12/29)were contaminated. A negligible number of subsequent cultures were contaminated.Conclusions:Any future interventions designed to minimize bacterial colony counts should focus on the first 30to 90 minutes of surgery.

[学科分类] 妇产科学