The effect of preoperative steroids for at least 10 days on complications following craniotomy for tumor resection: A database, retrospective cohort study

What factors are associated with surgical site infections after intracranial neurosurgical procedures? An exploratory register study

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after intracranial neurosurgical procedures derive from both endogenous and exogenous factors, and are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and additional socio-economic costs. The addition of mobile laminar airflow (MLAF) units to the operating room ventilation decreases bacteria-carrying particles, but their influence on the incidence of SSIs, and concurrence with other factors, is unclear. This is a continuation study of a previous study using MLAF units.

AIM

To explore factors associated with SSIs after intracranial procedures during a period when MLAF units were used.

METHODS

This retrospective register study had an explorative design. The electronic medical records of patients undergoing intracranial neurosurgical procedures were reviewed retrospectively for signs or symptoms of SSIs using a 45-item protocol. Demographic, patient-specific and procedure-specific variables were collected, as well as exogenous factors and SSI variables regarding depth of SSI, type of bacteria, time to infection, and treatment. Data were analysed using univariate and multi-variate logistic regression.

FINDINGS

An SSI occurred in 55 of 800 included patients (6.9%). On univariate and multi-variate analysis, only remote infections during the hospital stay were associated with risk of SSI (odds ratio 2.02, 95% confidence interval 1.07-3.82; P=0.031). Superficial SSIs were most common, the median time to infection was 18 days, and the most common causative micro-organism was Staphylococcus aureus.

CONCLUSIONS

In the clinical context, considerations are recommended for neurosurgical patients with ongoing remote infections during their hospital stay. Further peri-operative studies are needed in the field of surgical infection prevention.

Analysis of risk factors affecting wound healing and wound infection after meningioma resection

To analyse the risk factors affecting wound healing and infection after spinal meningioma resection surgery. The surgical incision healing of 137 patients who underwent spinal meningioma resection at our hospital from January 2021 to January 2024 was analysed. The data collected included physical examination findings, haematological and biochemical measurements, and various scales assessed upon admission and after surgery. These data were then analysed. The surgical wound healing, infection and postoperative complications were statistically analysed. Multiple logistic regression analysis method was used to conduct risk factor analysis on corresponding indicators; the odds ratio and p value of 95% confidence interval were calculated. Factors such as age and smoking history were significantly negatively correlated with wound healing after meningioma resection (odds ratio < 1.000, p < 0.05), while preoperative albumin and platelet count were significantly positively correlated with wound healing (odds ratio > 1.000, p < 0.05). Age, WHO Meningioma Grading, preoperative albumin and preoperative platelet were significantly negatively correlated with wound infection after meningioma resection (odds ratio < 1.000, p < 0.05). The history of virus infection and history of neurological disorders were significantly positively correlated with wound infection (odds ratio > 1.000, p < 0.05). The influence of each factor is different. Age, smoking history, WHO Meningioma Grading, preoperative albumin, preoperative platelets, history of virus infection and history of neurological disorders had the greatest influence on wound healing and infection after meningioma resection.