Analysis of the Bacterial Flora in the Nasal Cavity and the Sphenoid Sinus Mucosa in Patients Operated on with an Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Approach

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the bacterial flora in the nasal cavity and sphenoid sinus and evaluate the sensitivity of these bacteria to antibiotics that can be used to prevent postoperative meningitis. Bacteria of the preoperative nasal cavity and intraoperative sphenoid sinus mucosa were cultured and analyzed in 40 patients (20 men and 20 women; mean age, 52.2 years) who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. The sensitivity of these bacteria to cephalosporin, a representative prophylactic antibiotic, was examined. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently detected species in both spaces; 24 (38.7%) of 62 isolates in the nasal cavity and 26 (37.1%) of 70 isolates in the sphenoid sinus. In contrast, Corynebacterium species were found mainly in the nasal cavity, and anaerobic bacteria were found only in the sphenoid sinus. Bacteria that were resistant to cephalosporin were found in the nasal cavity in 3.2% of patients and in the sphenoid sinus in 20% of patients. In conclusion, the composition of bacterial flora, including bacteria that are resistant to prophylactic antibiotics, differs between the nasal cavity and the sphenoid sinus.

Sphenoid sinus microbiota in pituitary apoplexy: a preliminary study

“…Investigations of the sinonasal tract have shown members of the corynebacteria, staphylococci and propionibacteria to be well represented in health [ 5 – 7 ]. In the present study, clonal libraries generated from the sinuses of NFPA patients were generally representative of such findings with either Staphylococcus epidermidis or Corynebacterium spp.…”

“…For example, a recent survey of the nares (n = 1878) reported E. coli and Enterobacter aerogenes are carried by less than 6.1 and 2.6% of healthy adults, respectively [ 8 ]. With regards the sinuses, microbiota studies are generally more limited in terms of sample size, but typically report recovery of these bacterial taxa in less than 5% healthy individuals [ 7 , 9 ]. Rather, these bacteria are typically associated with infradiaphragmatic sources and have been implicated as potential pathogens in rhinosinusitis following their isolation in symptomatic individuals [ 10 – 12 ].…”

Hypothalamus-pituitary Dysfunction as an Independent Risk Factor for Postoperative Central Nervous System Infections in Patients with Sellar Region Tumors

“…The incidence of hypothalamus-pituitary dysfunction is reported to be 4.2/100,000 per year, without sex differences; the prevalence is 45.5 per 100,000 people [18]. The rate of PCNSIs in patients with sellar region tumors ranges from 0.5-14% [19]. Some studies have shown the relationship between abnormal immune function and hypothalamus-pituitary dysfunction [9].…”

Is a Single-Dose, Single-Agent Perioperative Antibiotic Protocol Adequate for Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery? A 10-Year Review of 422 Cases

“…She subsequently died of multifactorial causes. She is excluded from this analysis as (1) her CSF infection appears to be a complication of prolonged external ventricular drain use and (2) occurred 43 days after transsphenoidal surgery.…”