The microbiology of postoperative bacteremia

Abstract

The results of a 10-year prospective survey of postoperative bacteremia are presented. The majority of episodes of bacteremia occurred after urological instrumentation or gastrointestinal operations. Most episodes of bacteremia were due to aerobic gram-negative organisms, principally Escherichia coli.Bacteremia carried an overall mortality rate of 29%, but this was much higher (59%) in patients with bacteremic shock. In view of the antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates from blood cultures in this series, a combination of gentamicin and ampicillin is still advised for therapy. More important, perhaps, is the prevention of this complication by appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis in urological and gastrointestinal surgery.