Nonantibiotic therapy for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a patient with chronic burn wounds
Zhenhai Niu1, Jiaao Yu, Zhenghua Jin
1Department of Burns Surgery, The First Hospital Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
The authors report a special case of nonantibiotic therapy in a adolescent boy with chronically infected wounds induced by inappropriate use of antibiotics. The result of microbial cultures of the secretions on the wounds indicated that the infection of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to aminoglycoside and cephalosporin but sensitive to carbapenem and quinolones. We formulated a management strategy including daily hydrotherapy, thermal radiation therapy, balanced fluid and electrolytes and intermittent transfusion of blood products, but antibiotics were not used. Twenty-four days after his hospitalization, an autologous split-meshed skin grafting was successfully performed. He was followed up for 6 months after discharge; both lower extremities had an excellent functional recovery. The therapy introduced in this report may be beneficial for chronic infected wounds.
Insights
This study presents a nonantibiotic therapy for chronic wounds caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The successful treatment involved hydrotherapy, thermal radiation, and skin grafting, leading to excellent functional recovery.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Wound Healing
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Chronic wounds pose significant challenges, especially when infected with multidrug-resistant organisms.
- Inappropriate antibiotic use can exacerbate antimicrobial resistance, complicating treatment strategies.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen in chronic wound infections, often exhibiting resistance to multiple antibiotics.
Observation:
- A case of an adolescent boy with chronic infected wounds due to multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is presented.
- Microbial cultures revealed resistance to aminoglycoside and cephalosporin but sensitivity to carbapenem and quinolones.
- The patient's wounds were infected with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Findings:
- A nonantibiotic management strategy was implemented, including hydrotherapy, thermal radiation, fluid and electrolyte balance, and blood product transfusion.
- Antibiotics were intentionally withheld throughout the treatment course.
- Successful autologous split-meshed skin grafting was performed 24 days post-hospitalization.
Implications:
- This nonantibiotic approach may offer a viable alternative for managing complex chronic wound infections.
- The findings suggest that comprehensive supportive care and targeted interventions can be effective without systemic antibiotics.
- Further research into nonantibiotic therapies is warranted for combating antimicrobial resistance in wound care.
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