MRSA Bacteria, What do I know Pre-Op

[GBMaryland]

So, they are finally gonna cut me open to replace a disc in my neck... only took about 27 years to get bad enough.

At the Pre-Op exam they ran a MRSA bacteria test, and called me a few hours later to tell me is was positive.

It appears to be a strain of Staph. Aureus, and the treatment is to give you an ointment for your nose and to wash with chlorohexidine.

Is there anything you medically trained folks have to add about this... does simply treating your nose actually kill that!?!?

 

[Spblademaker]

Dr wife said that sounds kosher. Although her patients are only a few dozen ounces. Used big words like bactroban and hibiclense.

 

[johnnycat]

Yes - so the MRSA (or any Staph for that matter) can/does colonize your nose. So some triple antibiotic ointment is generally good to do the trick.

 

[QuickNDirty]

Yes - so the MRSA (or any Staph for that matter) can/does colonize your nose. So some triple antibiotic ointment is generally good to do the trick.

Is the concern there that somehow during the surgery the site will become infected with bacteria from the nose, or does it travel some other way? I'm kinda ignorant on that subject, but I've had staph infections before... Sucks real bad.

 

[johnnycat]

Infectious Disease isn't my domain, but the way I understand it there is that fear that a colony will spread to be an infection in a surgical site. Plus, MRSA is by definition resistant to our best penicillins and often other antibiotics as well - so it's already hard to kill and if it becomes a full blown infection is not only harder to kill but then can breed other super bugs that are basically resistant to everything.

Is the concern there that somehow during the surgery the site will become infected with bacteria from the nose, or does it travel some other way? I'm kinda ignorant on that subject, but I've had staph infections before... Sucks real bad.

 

[Bender]

EVERYONE has bacteria on them.

It’s just a precaution. You’re fine, unless your surgery center is in Tijuana Mexico...... then you might want to rethink priorities.

 

[thejeep]

At least you don’t or don’t know you have the pathogen found in the cooler circuit of the heart bypass machine. Can’t really be treated and kills 1/4 within 10years.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I ain't no doctor, but I've had some bad bugs on me and under my skin.
Silver. It works every time. Bugs don't get immune to it as far as I know.

 

[GBMaryland]

Great feedback! Thank you.

Its been about 25 years since I took microbiology.

I order some more chlorhexidine sugical scrub, and will use it as directed.

Yeah, my understanding is that they are concerned that the staph will spread to the incision / wound.

The more interesting part will be the titanium parts that will be in my neck.

 

[Spblademaker]

Good luck with the surgery and recovery.

 

[Loonhunter]

I’ve had that surgery. Twice. Would have just been once except the first surgeon was an osteopath. The second was a neurosurgeon. He had to fix my problems and the osteopaths mistakes. Hope it all goes well. It’s a pretty common one.

 

[vh20]

At least you don’t or don’t know you have the pathogen found in the cooler circuit of the heart bypass machine. Can’t really be treated and kills 1/4 within 10years.

What pathogen?

 

[texas_vet00]

I once had a "golf ball sized infection" under the skin which was MRSA... Was about to hop on a plane on a brother's weekend for a bachelor party and one of my bro's decided to get a box cutter and cut it open. No shit true story. Grey oatmeal is the best I can describe that goo that gushed out... Gross.

I felt better INSTANTLY btw...

When I got back in town I told my doc what we did and he was not happy with any of what we did.

 

[Bender]

I once had a "golf ball sized infection" under the skin which was MRSA... Was about to hop on a plane on a brother's weekend for a bachelor party and one of my bro's decided to get a box cutter and cut it open. No shit true story. Grey oatmeal is the best I can describe that goo that gushed out... Gross.

I felt better INSTANTLY btw...

When I got back in town I told my doc what we did and he was not happy with any of what we did.

 

[thejeep]

What pathogen?

I don’t remember the name. Hospital had to write letters to all the possible individuals effected. Money exchanged hands. The 1/4 may or may not have been embellished.

Here is a link I skimmed.

Deadly infection spread by contaminated heart surgery machines

To get a new heart valve, patients have to undergo open-heart surgery. But a machine used in such procedures has been contaminating these implants

www.google.com

 

[thejeep]

Another oops is the air circulatory systems in some ORs are flawed. They are designed to keep the air in the room above the table circulating up away from the pt and then out of the room. Works great without equipment or staff in the room. The objects form eddies and possible contaminated air settles onto the pt on the table. Ecoli wound infection post op? Who pooted?

 

[Snipe260]

View attachment 7041949

I had this same problem before my neck surgery. Surgery went well. After about a week my nuts started swelling. I was in agonizing pain and had to head back to hospital. It had somehow gotten to my nuts! They were swollen the size of cantaloupes . They had to do six different procedures before they could get the swelling under control. 6 months later I could piss without a lightning type explosion. Took over a year and a half and a divorce before I could have sex. Just shitting you man!! You should be good to go! Good luck!

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Great feedback! Thank you.

Its been about 25 years since I took microbiology.

I order some more chlorhexidine sugical scrub, and will use it as directed.

Yeah, my understanding is that they are concerned that the staph will spread to the incision / wound.

The more interesting part will be the titanium parts that will be in my neck.

Good luck to you.
I hope your fusion "fuses". My fusion didn't fuse. The bone is moving and I broke a screw.
I will eventually have to go back and have titanium pins put in the rear.

Take care of yourself and do what they tell you.

I went to a rifle match 8 weeks after my surgery. Don't think that had anything to do with the mess I'm in now, not sure it didnt...but my comp shooting career is damn sure over now.

I've gotta get rid of even my moderate kicking weapons. I guess I can consider this a good time and excuse to get a really nice .410 O/U for skeet.

Be careful and good luck GB.

 

[Fig]

I ain't no doctor, but I've had some bad bugs on me and under my skin.
Silver. It works every time. Bugs don't get immune to it as far as I know.

Was it werewolf bacteria, or vampire bacteria? I think silver actually works on both, but it has to look like ✝ to work on the vampire bacteria.

In all seriousness, silvadine ointment is also great for keeping a burn from getting infected and it promotes faster healing.

 

[Threadcutter308]

I had this same problem before my neck surgery. Surgery went well. After about a week my nuts started swelling. I was in agonizing pain and had to head back to hospital. It had somehow gotten to my nuts! They were swollen the size of cantaloupes . They had to do six different procedures before they could get the swelling under control. 6 months later I could piss without a lightning type explosion. Took over a year and a half and a divorce before I could have sex. Just shitting you man!! You should be good to go! Good luck!

dik move...........

 

[acudaowner]

prayers sent with wishes of speedy recovery .... if i could make it through them sowing the back of my heart up after an Atrial aneurysm you should be fine god willing .
get well soon

 

[GBMaryland]

I had this same problem before my neck surgery. Surgery went well. After about a week my nuts started swelling. I was in agonizing pain and had to head back to hospital. It had somehow gotten to my nuts! They were swollen the size of cantaloupes . They had to do six different procedures before they could get the swelling under control. 6 months later I could piss without a lightning type explosion. Took over a year and a half and a divorce before I could have sex. Just shitting you man!! You should be good to go! Good luck!

Heh. Bahahaha.

You know we’re all gonna call you “Cantaloupe Nuts” from now on, dont you?

I’ve requested LowLight change your name in the system....

 

[GBMaryland]

Yeah, no fusion. They are putting a nice titanium universal joint in place of the disc at C5-C6.

Hurt myself just after I got out of the USAF, and have been waiting for them to have a decent solution for 27 years.

 

[pmclaine]

I don’t remember the name. Hospital had to write letters to all the possible individuals effected. Money exchanged hands. The 1/4 may or may not have been embellished.

Here is a link I skimmed.

Deadly infection spread by contaminated heart surgery machines

To get a new heart valve, patients have to undergo open-heart surgery. But a machine used in such procedures has been contaminating these implants

www.google.com

Sounds like the fix is pretty easy....dont let the machine exhaust in the OR.

 

[clcustom1911]

So, they are finally gonna cut me open to replace a disc in my neck... only took about 27 years to get bad enough.

At the Pre-Op exam they ran a MRSA bacteria test, and called me a few hours later to tell me is was positive.

It appears to be a strain of Staph. Aureus, and the treatment is to give you an ointment for your nose and to wash with chlorohexidine.

Is there anything you medically trained folks have to add about this... does simply treating your nose actually kill that!?!?

The little MRSA assholes colonize in your nose. The Mupirocin antibiotic ointment in the booger house should do the job. It's been a standard therapy since I was treating my Marines from '03-'08. Be glad they caught it before surgery because had that funk-itis made its way to the wound site... bad news. That would require VERY STRONG antibiotics that can have other side effects including but not limited to killing the normal "bacterial flora" in your digestive tract which puts a monkey wrench in the works, so to speak...

 

[clcustom1911]

I once had a "golf ball sized infection" under the skin which was MRSA... Was about to hop on a plane on a brother's weekend for a bachelor party and one of my bro's decided to get a box cutter and cut it open. No shit true story. Grey oatmeal is the best I can describe that goo that gushed out... Gross.

I felt better INSTANTLY btw...

When I got back in town I told my doc what we did and he was not happy with any of what we did.

That sounds like some shit I would have pulled in the barracks..... But with a #11 scalpel blade of course... I'm civilized.

 

[FS1]

I once had a "golf ball sized infection" under the skin which was MRSA... Was about to hop on a plane on a brother's weekend for a bachelor party and one of my bro's decided to get a box cutter and cut it open. No shit true story. Grey oatmeal is the best I can describe that goo that gushed out... Gross.

I felt better INSTANTLY btw...

When I got back in town I told my doc what we did and he was not happy with any of what we did.

Could that be because he would have billed $1800.00 to the insurance co to do the same thing? But he would have used a medical box cutter (scalpel).

 

[clcustom1911]

Could that be because he would have billed $1800.00 to the insurance co to do the same thing? But he would have used a medical box cutter (scalpel).

#11 scalpel blade to be exact

 

[GBMaryland]

prayers sent with wishes of speedy recovery .... if i could make it through them sowing the back of my heart up after an Atrial aneurysm you should be fine god willing .
get well soon

?

 

[GBMaryland]

Folks, you’re the best.

Took a shower this AM and scrubbed with the chlorhexadine... now I smell like all of those nurses whose butts I’m always checking out! ?

I wonder how much of that crap I should be stuffing up my nose? Right now I’m just putting on a clean Qtip and going to town on the inside of each huge nostril of my Uber snozz.

 

[pmclaine]

That sounds like some shit I would have pulled in the barracks..... But with a #11 scalpel blade of course... I'm civilized.

Remember the Corpsman cutting a Marines SS style blood group tattoo from the side of his chest while in Okinawa.

Marine got fucked up drunk, scalpal, couple stitches, a quck prayer it wouldnt get infected in Oki.....all was good.

Cant figure why it was worth the trouble removing - who if anyone knew where the blood group tattoo came from and for a Marine it actually might be useful.

The Corpsman eventually went SEAL he was hardcorps..

 

[clcustom1911]

Remember the Corpsman cutting a Marines SS style blood group tattoo from the side of his chest while in Okinawa.

Marine got fucked up drunk, scalpal, couple stitches, a quck prayer it wouldnt get infected in Oki.....all was good.

Cant figure why it was worth the trouble removing - who if anyone knew where the blood group tattoo came from and for a Marine it actually might be useful.

The Corpsman eventually went SEAL he was hardcorps..

Some of us Corpsmen took our calling very seriously.

 

[pmclaine]

Some of us Corpsmen took our calling very seriously.

Yes a lot of you looked forward to short arm inspections.

 

[clcustom1911]

Yes a lot of you looked forward to short arm inspections.

View attachment 7042078

Well played, Sir.




Turn your head and cough, please.

 

[pmclaine]

Well played, Sir.




Turn your head and cough, please.

Shouldnt you turn your head?

 

[clcustom1911]

Shouldnt you turn your head?

It's a Navy thing.

 

[Centuriator]

Simply put MRSA can kill you. Do what they tell you.

 

[Snipe260]

Heh. Bahahaha.

You know we’re all gonna call you “Cantaloupe Nuts” from now on, dont you?

I’ve requested LowLight change your name in the system....

Lmao??! In all seriousness hope your surgery goes well my friend. And it’s ok to be called cantaloupe nuts. Means I have a pair???

 

[GBMaryland]

Lmao??! In all seriousness hope your surgery goes well my friend. And it’s ok to be called cantaloupe nuts. Means I have a pair???

Bahahahahaha

 

[powdahound76]

The hibiclens and chlorohexidine are the same thing. Neurosurgeons I worked with doing non-emergent spine or neuro surgeries would have all their patient's take a shower in it. Instructions for a long shower, fully soap and scrub twice. This was over 10 years ago, dont believe they have changed their practice though.

I hate to guess what you would find growing in my nose after 20 years of taking care of people. ER and fire dept so we never knew who had what till tests came back. Cared for most without a mask of course.

Really just follow the spine guy's instructions to a T. ask if there is anything else you can do to eradicate.

Good luck sir. Let us know your surgery date and we will make sure to pray for you if you like.

Elija

 

[Strykervet]

I have two foot surgeries coming up; really forgot how many I've already have but it's more than five separate surgeries with more than one operation each. No issues from that, but one toe got infected after I broke it but didn't know it. That one landed me in the hospital for almost a week while they pumped me up with the most powerful antibiotics available (Vankomycin was one, forget the other).

The Vankomycin and whatever the second one was did the trick.

Never heard of rubbing shit in your nose prior to surgery but I do scrub clean the FUCK out of the area and wrap it in bags before I leave the house. Typically with chlorhexadine 4%, that's the shit du jour these days.

I have an M40A1... But I'd look awful fucking strange going in there butt naked except for a pro mask!

 

[Eustice]

Sounds like the fix is pretty easy....dont let the machine exhaust in the OR.

The exhaust on the specific machines was the problem. It didn’t have a small exhaust fan, it had very large exhaust vents on three sides. The solution was to lengthen the water lines on the machine and move it outside the room. The longer water lines strained the pumps as well as didn’t make for as efficient heating and cooling.

The problem was linked to one specific machine made by one company. The company was really shady about it as well. They knew for over a year before anyone was told, as well as shipped machines that had been tested with water that was contaminated. You can look it up. They were Sorin 3T Heater/Coolers.

The risk was present but I think a bit overblown. It has been a few years since it happened. The government groups tracking it couldn’t even agree on a number of cases. It was pretty low. Last I recall there were less than 60 cases, out of about 2 million open heart procedures that had transpired in that timeframe. And some of these cases had presented years after the surgery. This bacteria is present everywhere. Anywhere water can stagnate. I thought there may have been a lot of chances for exposure elsewhere. The device in the OR was definitely a culprit but so are a lot of other things.