Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Sep 27;15(9):e46094.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.46094. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Effectiveness of Gentamicin Wound Irrigation in Preventing Surgical Site Infection During Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Study at a Rural Teaching Hospital in India

Ayush Agrawal  1 , Manoj K Ramachandraiah  1 , Arun H Shanthappa  1 , Sandesh Agarawal  1
Affiliations

Effectiveness of Gentamicin Wound Irrigation in Preventing Surgical Site Infection During Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Study at a Rural Teaching Hospital in India

Ayush Agrawal et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are an opposing result of surgery and account for the majority of healthcare-related infections worldwide. It is one of the most common complications associated with open-spine surgery and is associated with high rates of mortality and high demand for healthcare resources. Surgical site infections are the result of a variety of reasons, which is why a range of prevention strategies have been proposed. Intraoperative wound irrigation (IOWI) is a simple procedure that involves moving a solution through an open wound to help hydrate the tissue. It is a type of prophylactic wound irrigation. It removes and dilutes bodily fluids, bacteria, and cellular debris. It may also act as a bactericidal agent when used with antibiotics and antiseptics.

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the incidence of SSI in lumbar spine surgeries by comparing IOWI with normal saline containing gentamicin (NS-G) and normal saline (NS) alone.

Materials and method: A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted among 40 patients who underwent elective lumbar spine surgery at the Department of Orthopaedics, RL Jalappa Hospital Centre, Kolar, Karnataka, India.

Result: Out of the total participants enrolled, 60% were males and 40% were females. There was no statistically significant difference found between mean age, mean BMI, mean hemoglobin level, mean WBC counts, and mean fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels among both groups. The overall prevalence of SSI among patients was 25%. In Group A (NS-G), the prevalence of SSI was 15%, and in Group B (NS), it was 35%. In total, 17.5% of study participants had superficial SSI, while 7.5% had deep SSI.

Conclusion: Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is bactericidal and efficient against gram-positive organisms like Staphylococcus, the most frequent pathogen causing SSI in spine surgery. During lumbar spine surgery, IOWI with saline and gentamicin before closure is more effective in preventing SSI than simple saline irrigation.

Keywords: effectiveness; gentamycin; lumbar surgery; surgical site infection; wound irrigation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Type of surgery among patients (n = 40)
Figure 2
Figure 2. Clinical criteria for SSI (n = 40)
SSI: Surgical site infection
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Impact of surgical site infection on healthcare costs and patient outcomes: a systematic review in six European countries. Badia JM, Casey AL, Petrosillo N, Hudson PM, Mitchell SA, Crosby C. J Hosp Infect. 2017;96:1–15. - PubMed
    1. Global incidence of surgical site infection among patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. Mengistu DA, Alemu A, Abdukadir AA, Husen MA, Ahmed F, Mohammed B, Musa I. Inquiry. 2023;60 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection.
    1. Predictors of increased cost and length of stay in the treatment of postoperative spine surgical site infection. Blumberg TJ, Woelber E, Bellabarba C, Bransford R, Spina N. Spine J. 2018;18:300–306. - PubMed
    1. Clinical outcomes after lumbar fusion complicated by deep wound infection: a case-control study. Petilon JM, Glassman SD, Dimar JR, Carreon LY. Spine. 2012;37:1370–1374. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources