Preoperative MRSA Screening in Pediatric Spine Surgery: A Helpful Tool or a Waste of Time and Money?

Spine Deform. 2016 Jul;4(4):272-276. doi: 10.1016/j.jspd.2015.12.006. Epub 2016 Jun 16.

Abstract

Objectives: To review the use of preoperative screening for Staphylococcus aureus for all pediatric spine procedures that was instituted at our facility in a multimodal approach to decrease the frequency of postoperative wound infections.

Summary of background data: Four years ago at our facility, a multimodal approach to decrease the frequency of postoperative infections after pediatric spine surgery was instituted.

Methods: A single-center, single-surgeon pediatric spine surgery database was queried to identify all patients who had preoperative S. aureus nasal swab screening. Data collected included demographic data, diagnoses, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) swab findings, bacterial antibiotic sensitivities, and outcome of the spine surgery.

Results: A total of 339 MRSA screenings were performed. Twenty (5.9%) were MRSA positive, and 55 (16.2%) were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) positive. In the MRSA-positive group, 13 were neuromuscular, 5 were adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), 1 congenital, and 1 infantile idiopathic scoliosis. Of the MRSA-positive screenings, 13 (65.0% of MRSA-positive screenings; 3.8% of entire cohort) of were newly identified cases (9 neuromuscular, 3 AIS, and 1 congenital diagnoses). In the 55 MSSA-positive, 6 documented resistance to either cefazolin or clindamycin. Hence, in up to 22 of the preoperative screenings (6.5% of entire cohort; 16 MRSA and 6 MSSA showed antibiotic resistance), the preoperative antibiotic regimen could be altered to appropriately cover the identified bacterial resistances. During the study period, there were 11 patients who were diagnosed with a postoperative deep wound infection, none of them having positive screenings.

Conclusion: The use of preoperative nasal swab MRSA screening permitted adjustment of the preoperative antibiotic regimen in up to 6.5% of patients undergoing pediatric spine surgery. This inexpensive, noninvasive tool can be used in preoperative surgical planning for all patients undergoing spinal procedures.

Level of evidence: Level IV.

Keywords: AIS; MRSA; Nasal culture; Preoperative screening; Spine surgery.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Humans
  • Methicillin Resistance
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Nasal Cavity / microbiology*
  • Preoperative Care* / economics
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Surgical Wound Infection