Significance of anaerobic bacteria in postoperative infection after radical cystectomy and urinary diversion or reconstruction

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 867 - 870
• Main Authors: Hiyama, Yoshiki, Takahashi, Satoshi, Uehara, Teruhisa, Hashimoto, Jiro, Kurimura, Yuichiro, Tanaka, Toshiaki, Masumori, Naoya, Tsukamoto, Taiji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2013; Springer Japan
• Subjects: Aged; Anaerobic bacteria; Bacteremia - etiology; Bacteremia - microbiology; Bacteria, Anaerobic - isolation & purification; Bacterial Infections - etiology; Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Cystectomy - adverse effects; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Medical Microbiology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Postoperative infection; Radical cystectomy; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Retrospective Studies; Surgical site infection; Surgical Wound Infection - microbiology; Urinary diversion; Urinary Diversion - adverse effects; Virology; Surgical site infection; Anaerobic bacteria; Postoperative infection; Urinary diversion; Radical cystectomy
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10156-013-0583-z

Radical cystectomy followed by urinary diversion or reconstruction (RC) is a standard treatment for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In these operations, a high frequency of complications, especially postoperative infection, has been reported. However, there have only been a few studies about postoperative anaerobic bacterial infection. To clarify the significance and role of anaerobic bacteria in postoperative infection, we retrospectively analyzed cases in which postoperative infection by these organisms developed. A total of 126 patients who underwent RC from 2006 to 2010 were included in this study. Various types of postoperative infection occurred in 66 patients. Anaerobic bacterial infections were detected with cultures for urine and blood in one case, for blood in two cases, and for surgical wound pus in four. The frequency of postoperative anaerobic bacterial infection in RC was less than that of colon surgery. However, this study revealed the possible development of a nonnegligible number of postoperative anaerobic bacterial infections. Therefore, we should consider anaerobic bacteria as possible pathogens in postoperative infection after RC.