Effect of Shorter Antimicrobial Prophylaxis and Pre-Intervention Measures on Infections Developing After Transrectal Prostate Biopsies

Abstract

Introduction: Transrectal prostate biopsy (TPB) is currently a commonly used invasive procedure for the diagnosis of prostatic diseases. Due to increasing infectious complications after TPBs in our institute, it was decided to change antimicrobial prophylaxis regimens and pre-intervention measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of shorter antimicrobial prophylaxis, intestinal cleansing and single use sterile gels on infections developing after TPBs in our tertiary-care educational hospital. Materials and Methods: Infections developing in the last six months after TPB were evaluated retrospectively by using records of microbiology, radiology and urology departments. Sterilization and disinfection, antimicrobial prophylaxis regimens, intestinal decontamination procedures and routine biopsy procedures were reevaluated in cooperation with the corresponding clinics. Afterwards, it was decided to implement three changes in the TPB practice: 1) Shortening the antimicrobial prophylaxis, 2) Intestinal cleansing one day before the intervention by using enema, and 3) Using sterile gel (single patient use only) during biopsy. Patients were diagnosed as clinical or microbiologically confirmed healthcare-associated infection according to the 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention' criteria. The preintervention period was 2007 July-December and the intervention period was 2008 January-July. Results: Overall infection/infectious complication rate (10.5% vs. 3.8%; p=0.007), overall clinically defined infection rate (4.8% vs. 1.1%; p=0.028) and overall microbiologically defined infection rate (5.8% vs. 2.7%; p=0.002) decreased significantly in the post intervention period. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that shorter antimicrobial prophylaxis regimens, using sterile gels and intestinal cleansing may be useful in the control of infections developing after TPB.