PREOPERATIVE BACTERIAL-COLONIZATION OF THE UPPER AIRWAYS DOES NOT PREDICT POSTOPERATIVE AIRWAY INFECTION IN CHILDREN

The aim of this prospective non-interventional investigation was to st udy whether preoperative colonization of nasopharynx with potentially pathogenic airway bacteria carried an increased risk for the developme nt of early postoperative bacterial airway infections after heart surg ery in preschool children. Of the 91 patients studied, 62 (68%) were c olonized preoperatively in the nasopharynx with Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and/or Staphylococcu s aureus. Nine children developed postoperative airway infections (fou r pneumonia, three bacterial bronchitis and two acute otitis media). P reoperative colonization was not significantly associated with increas ed risk for postoperative airway infection: 6/62 (10%) in colonized vs 3/29 (10%) in non-colonized children. Preoperative nasopharynx cultur es in asymptomatic children should be avoided since it is unpleasant f or the child, is not cost-effective, and may lead to unnecessary antib iotic treatment.