Routine topical vancomycin administration during closure of non-instrumented spinal procedures can be a safe and effective tool for reducing SSIs in the pediatric neurosurgical population.

OBJECTIVETopical antimicrobial compounds are safe and can reduce cost and complications associated with surgical site infections (SSIs). Topical vancomycin has been an effective tool for reducing SSIs following routine neurosurgical procedures in the spine and following adult craniotomies. However, widespread adoption within the pediatric neurosurgical community has not yet occurred, and there are no studies to report on the safety and efficacy of this intervention. The authors present the first institution-wide study of topical vancomycin following open craniotomy in the pediatric population.METHODSIn this retrospective study the authors reviewed all open craniotomies performed over a period from 05/2014 to 12/2016 for topical vancomycin use, SSIs, and clinical variables associated with SSI. Topical vancomycin was utilized as an infection prophylaxis and was applied as a liquid solution following replacement of a bone flap or after dural closure when no bone flap was reapplied.RESULTSOverall, 466 consecutive open craniotomies were completed between 05/2014 and 12/2016, of which 43% utilized topical vancomycin. There was a 1.5% SSI rate in the nontopical cohort versus 0% in the topical vancomycin cohort (p = 0.045). The number needed to treat was 66. There were no significant differences in risk factors for SSI between cohorts. There were no complications associated with topical vancomycin use.CONCLUSIONSRoutine topical vancomycin administration during closure of open craniotomies can be a safe and effective tool for reducing SSIs in the pediatric neurosurgical population.

Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) is characterized by a state of disorientation and confusion following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Few studies have looked at the effect of prolonged PTA on the functional outcomes beyond 1 year post-injury. This study aims to evaluate the burden of care in individuals with extremely severe PTA (esPTA; PTA >28 days) from acute inpatient rehabilitation admission to 5 years post-injury as well as the association between intracranial hypertension (ICH; Intracranial pressure (ICP) ≥20 mmHg) and esPTA status. Three hundred and forty-two individuals with moderate to severe TBI enrolled in the Northern California TBI Model System (TBIMS) of Care were included in this study. The FIM® instrument was chosen as the outcome measurement as it is a widely used functional assessment in the rehabilitation community. Repeated measure ANOVA revealed greater burden of care based on FIM® total scores (p < 0.001) from admission to 5-year follow-up for the esPTA group compared to the non-esPTA group (PTA ≤ 28 days). Unlike the non-esPTA group where FIM® total score plateaued 1 year post-injury, FIM® total score continued to improve up to 2 years post-injury for the esPTA group. The odds of developing esPTA was ~3 times higher for individuals with ICH vs. individuals without ICH (p < 0.001). In conclusion, individuals with esPTA have increased short- and long-term burden of care and the presence of ICH during hospitalization increased the odds of experiencing esPTA. These results may help the rehabilitation team and family in planning care post rehabilitation discharge.

Topical vancomycin has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) following spine surgery in both adults and children, however, there are no studies of its efficacy in reducing SSIs in craniofacial surgery. The SSIs are one of the most common complications following craniofacial surgery. The complexity of craniofacial procedures, use of grafts and implants, long operative durations and larger surgical wounds all contribute to the heightened risk of SSIs in pediatric craniofacial cases. A retrospective review of all open and endoscopic pediatric craniofacial procedures performed between May 2014 and December 2017 at a single children's hospital was conducted to examine SSI rates between patients receiving topical vancomycin and a historical control group. The treatment group received topical vancomycin irrigation before wound closure. An ad-hoc cost analysis was performed to determine the cost-savings associated with topical vancomycin use. A total of 132 craniofacial procedures were performed during the study period, with 50 cases in the control group and 82 cases in the vancomycin group. Overall, SSI rate was 3.03%. Use of topical vancomycin irrigation led to a significant reduction in SSIs (4/50 SSI or 8.0% in control group vs 0/82 or 0% in vancomycin group, P = 0.04). No adverse events were observed with topical vancomycin use. The potential cost-savings associated with the use of topical vancomycin as SSI prophylaxis in this study was $102,152. Addition of topical vancomycin irrigation as routine surgical infection prophylaxis can be an effective and low-cost method for reducing SSI in pediatric craniofacial surgery.

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