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Topical vancomycin powder safe for use in pediatric spinal deformity surgery
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When used in pediatric spinal deformity surgery, topical vancomycin powder produced local levels well above the minimum inhibitory concentration for common pathogens, serum levels below the toxicity threshold and reduced the rate of complications for the procedure.
Sheyan J. Armaghani, MD, and colleagues analyzed the effects of 1 g of topical vancomycin powder applied during wound closure after instrumented posterior spinal fusion. Twenty-five patients were included in the study, with an average age of 13.5 years.
The researchers collected serum and drain vancomycin levels immediately after surgery and during the first 2 days postoperatively. Average postoperative follow-up was 9.2 months.
After analysis, the researchers found mean serum levels trended downward from 2.5 µg/mL to 1.9 µg/mL at 1 day postoperatively and to 1.1 µg/mL at 2 days postoperatively.
Mean drain levels were also noted to have a downward trend, from 403 µg/mL to 251 µg/mL to 115 µg/mL on postoperative days 0, 1 and 2, respectively.
No deep wound infections or vancomycin-related toxicity was reported, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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