Pneumonia after cardiac surgery is predictable by tracheal aspirates but cannot be prevented by prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis

Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of tracheal aspirate as a predictor of pneumonia after coronary artery bypass grafting and to evaluate the efficacy of prolonged perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Methods. Tracheal aspirates of 500 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were taken immediately after intubation and analyzed for microorganisms by Gram stain and semiquantitative microbiologic cultures. All patients received 2 g ceftriaxone as a single-dose perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis before operation. Results of Gram stains were available before the patients were transferred to the intensive care unit. After the results were known, both groups of patients (positive Gram stain, group I; negative Gram stain, group 2) were randomly assigned to either conventional antibiotic prophylaxis (A), consisting of ceftriaxone 2 g on postoperative day 1, or prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis (B), with ticarcillin + clavulanic acid 3 x 5.2 g during 72 hours. Results. From 500 patients, 91 had a positive Gram stain whereas 409 had a negative one. The incidence of pneumonia was significantly higher in patients with preoperative positive tracheal aspirates (15.3%) than in patients with a negative one (3.6%; p < 0.01). However, prolonged prophylaxis did not reduce the rate of postoperative pneumonia, which was as high as 13% in untreated positive patients versus 17% in treated positive patients, and 2% in untreated negative patients versus 4% in treated patients. In patients who had pneumonia, there was a high correlation between the microorganisms found in preoperative aspirates and those observed when aspirates were repeated (100% correlation in patients with conventional antibiotic prophylaxis and 87% in those with prolonged prophylaxis). Conclusions. Early postoperative pneumonia (< 7 days) is most likely caused by microorganisms that colonize the respiratory tract before operation. The risk of pulmonary infection after coronary artery bypass grafting can be predicted from the preoperative tracheal aspirates. Prolonged perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis has no efficacy in reducing the incidence of pulmonary infections. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.