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Biomedical subjects

R C Aber

Publications and source records attributed to R C Aber.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Pseudoepidemic of endocarditis in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

Between July 2 and July 16, 1979, three patients were reported to have gram-positive cocci as seen on Gram strain of excised, macerated heart valve tissue. No organisms were isolated in culture; however, our usual procedure for handling such valves is not adequate for isolation of strict anaerobes. The first patient was treated for presumed endocarditis; this resulted in three additional weeks of hospitalization. Review of the remaining 34 patients who had heart valve replacement surgery between February 1 and July 20, 1979 revealed three additional cases. Careful analysis revealed that nonviable, gram-positive cocci present in commercially prepared trypticase soy broth were being added to the tissue just prior to mortar and pestle grinding in the microbiology laboratory. The contaminated tubes were noted to have a visible sediment when carefully examined. The procedure for handling the broth has been revised; a simple screening procedure is used now to identify potentially contaminated broth. No further instances of false positive results on Gram-staining of heart valve tissue have occurred since this screening procedure was introduced.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative efficacy and tolerance of cefamandole and cephalothin as prophylaxis for open heart surgery: a randomized double-blind study.

Cephalothin, a common used agent for antimicrobial prophylaxis, was compared with cefamandole, a second generation semi-synthetic cephalosporin having a somewhat broader antimicrobial spectrum, in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial of 201 patients undergoing elective open heart surgery. Cephalothin was administered to 101 patients and 100 received cefamandole. The protocol was not followed in 23 patients, 11 of whom received cephalothin and 12 cefamandole. Of 90 patients who could be evaluated for efficacy of cephalothin, two developed superficial wound infections and one developed an asymptomatic urinary tract infection. Five of 88 patients who received cefamandole developed infections; urinary tract infections in two, mediastinitis in one, a superficial wound infection in one, and pneumonia in one after prolonged endotracheal ventilation. Both were well tolerated with no adverse reactions attributed to either antibiotic. Cephalothin and cefamandole appear to provide similar efficacy and patient tolerance in open heart surgery; however, the drug regimen for cefamandole cost $83, whereas it was $58 for cephalothin.

Adult↗