Sternal Wound Infection — Topical Vancomycin Over Sternal Edge in Cardiac Surgery
Citation(s)
Hamman BL, Stout LY, Theologes TT, Sass DM, da Graca B, Filardo G Relation between topical application of platelet-rich plasma and vancomycin and severe deep sternal wound infections after a first median sternotomy. Am J Cardiol. 2014 Apr 15;113(8):1415-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2013.12.046. Epub 2014 Jan 31.
Lander HL, Ejiofor JI, McGurk S, Tsuyoshi K, Shekar P, Body SC Vancomycin Paste Does Not Reduce the Incidence of Deep Sternal Wound Infection After Cardiac Operations. Ann Thorac Surg. 2017 Feb;103(2):497-503. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2016.10.020. Epub 2016 Dec 24.
Lazar HL, Barlam T, Cabral H The effect of topical vancomycin applied to sternotomy incisions on postoperative serum vancomycin levels. J Card Surg. 2011 Sep;26(5):461-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8191.2011.01300.x.
Lazar HL, Ketchedjian A, Haime M, Karlson K, Cabral H Topical vancomycin in combination with perioperative antibiotics and tight glycemic control helps to eliminate sternal wound infections. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014 Sep;148(3):1035-8; 1038-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2014.06.045. Epub 2014 Jul 2.
Lazar HL, Salm TV, Engelman R, Orgill D, Gordon S Prevention and management of sternal wound infections. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Oct;152(4):962-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2016.01.060. Epub 2016 Aug 8. No abstract available.
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
