Use of Intraoperatory Vancomycin in Spinal Surgeries

Abstract

Objectives: Despite the use of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis, infection is still a challenge for spine surgeons, with high morbidity and mortality, long hospitalization, delayed rehabilitation, and a greater number of interventions. The purpose of this cross-sectional retrospective case-control study was to compare the incidence of postoperative infection in individuals who received a systemic antibiotic as the sole prophylactic method with those who received vancomycin in the operative wound in association with systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in spinal surgery. Methods: We evaluated 2694 medical records of individuals submitted to posterior spinal surgery in the thoracolumbar segment in the period from January 2012 to June 2017, 1360 in the treatment group and 1334 in the control group. Results: Nineteen (1.39%) of the treatment group progressed with surgical site infection, compared to 42 (3.14%) of the control group. Conclusions: There was a significant reduction in the postoperative infection rate with the use of vancomycin (p=0.0379). Level of Evidence III; Case-Control Study.