cefoxitin and Liver-Abscess

Twenty-nine patients who incurred a transperitoneal low-velocity gunshot wound to their spine were evaluated for the occurrence of spinal infectious complications. All patients underwent an exploratory laparotomy to determine the extent of viscera involvement. No attempt was made to debride the involved spinal area, and the bullet was not removed unless it was easily accessible. Of the 21 patients with a parenchymal and/or noncolonic viscous injury, 17 (77%) were treated with intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics for a minimum of 5 days the remainder received treatment for a maximum of 48 h. All 8 patients with colonic injuries received a minimum of > or = 5 days of antibiotic treatment. Follow-up averaged 44.9 months (range 3-144 months). Only 1 (4.7%) patient with either a noncolonic or parenchymal perforation developed an infectious complication (subdiaphragmatic abscess); two patients (25%) with colonic perforations developed a psoas abscess. No patient developed a spinal infection. This study suggests that patients who sustain a transperitoneal low-velocity gunshot wound to their spine do not need to undergo spinal debridement and may be treated with parenteral antibiotics. Any course of broad-spectrum antibiotics for 5 days appears to minimize infectious complications. Bullet removal and missile tract debridement of the spine is not routinely necessary.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antifungal Agents; Cefoxitin; Child; Colon; Discitis; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gentamicins; Humans; Liver Abscess; Male; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Multiple Trauma; Osteomyelitis; Paralysis; Peritoneum; Psoas Abscess; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Cord Injuries; Spinal Injuries; Subphrenic Abscess; Treatment Outcome; Vancomycin; Viscera; Wounds, Gunshot

Topics: Adult; Anaerobiosis; Bacterial Infections; Cefoxitin; Cephalosporins; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Humans; Liver Abscess; Lung Abscess; Male; Osteomyelitis

Ingested foreign bodies rarely cause gastrointestinal perforation, because the majority are passed out uneventfully in the feces. However, long, sharp, slender, hard, indigestible objects such as toothpicks are dangerous and may lead to potentially life-threatening complications. We report a case of duodenal perforation caused by a toothpick and complicated by liver abscess and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. Although laparotomy was not performed because of the patient's refusal to undergo surgery, the liver abscess and sepsis were controlled successfully with antibiotics. We also conducted a literature search for reports on injuries caused by ingested toothpicks.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Bacteremia; Cefoxitin; Duodenum; Follow-Up Studies; Foreign-Body Migration; Humans; Intestinal Perforation; Liver; Liver Abscess; Male; Methicillin Resistance; Metronidazole; Middle Aged; Staphylococcal Infections; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography; Vancomycin

Cefoxitin (CFX) was administrated to a total of 12 hospitalized patients with digestive diseases, in combination with aminoglycosides. The following results were obtained: Clinical effects of CFX on 12 cases were "excellent" in 4 cases, "good" in 5, "fair" in 1 and "unknown" in 2, with the efficacy rate of 75%. All 4 cases who developed septicemia with underlying severe diseases showed "excellent" effect to CFX. Clinical results of 8 cases with hepatic biliary tract infections were "good" in 5, "fair" in 1 and "unknown" in 2, with the efficacy rate in 62.5%. As for side effects, an allergic reaction was observed in 1 case, and it is suggested renal function should be monitored carefully in a case of combination use with aminoglycosides.

Topics: Aged; Bacterial Infections; Biliary Tract Diseases; Cefoxitin; Cholecystitis; Dibekacin; Digestive System Diseases; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gallstones; Gentamicins; Humans; Liver Abscess; Male; Middle Aged; Sepsis

30 patients were treated with i.v. cefoxitin (4-8 g/day), of which 20 had documented infections which included endocarditis (5), lung abscess (4), empyema (4), liver and subhepatic abscess (3), osteomyelitis (3), and pancreatic abscess (1). 14 patients had infections caused by anaerobic bacteria and 5 had endocarditis due to aerobic organisms. All but 2 patients with osteomyelitis of the mandible were cured. Adverse reactions were noted in 7 patients, mostly due to drug fever and leukocytosis; one had Coombs'-positive hemolytic anemia. The average serum cefoxitin levels were 24, 16, 12, and 4 microgram/ml at 1, 2, 3 and 4 h, respectively, and the average serum/pleural fluid ratio was 1:0.5 +/- 0.25. All anaerobic and aerobic isolates except one strain of Bacteroides fragilis were susceptible to cefoxitin at less than or equal to 32 microgram/ml. The concentration of cefoxitin in the tissues was measured in 8 rabbits; it was 4 +/- 1 microgram/ml in the heart and 2 +/- 0.5 microgram/ml in the femur and mandibular tissue, suggesting that the lack of response in cases of osteomyelitis could be due to inadequate antibiotic concentration in the bone. Our study suggests that cefoxitin can be used in the treatment of anaerobic infections and endocarditis due to susceptible organisms.

Topics: Abscess; Adult; Animals; Bacterial Infections; Bacteriological Techniques; Cefoxitin; Cephalosporins; Drug Evaluation; Empyema; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Female; Humans; Liver Abscess; Lung Abscess; Male; Osteomyelitis; Pancreatitis; Rabbits; Tissue Distribution