Dr. Sporer presented the research at the American Academy for Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting. The researchers examined 1,200 patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty over a six month period. The participants obtained a nasal swab at least 14 days before the procedure to identify MSSA and MRSA strains.
Patients who tested positive were notified and instructed to apply 2 percent mupirocin ointment intranasally and to take 2 percent chlorhexidine showers daily for five days prior to hospital admission. Researchers also tested for antimicrobial resistance to methicillin among these patients.
Postoperative screening showed that 4.3 percent of the patients tested positive for MRSA and 18 percent for MSSA. The rate of SSI in the control group was 1.74 percent, compared to the SSI preoperative screening group, which reported a 0.3 percent increase.
Read the AAOS Now report on preoperative screening for total joint arthropalsty.
Read other coverage on total joint arthroplasty:
– AAOS: Economic Downturn’s Impact on Total Joint Replacement
– Study: Standardize Processes to Increase Total Joint Arthroplasty Patient Volume
– Hospital for Special Surgery Works to Reduce Cost of Total Joint Arthroplasty
