Related Experiment Videos
Serious bacterial infections after endoscopic procedures
F Schlaeffer1, K Riesenberg, D Mikolich
1Department of Internal Medicine E, Soroka Medical Center and Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Archives of Internal Medicine
|March 11, 1996
Summary
Complicated bacteremia after endoscopy, including endocarditis, is rare but serious in at-risk patients. Antibiotic prophylaxis may be beneficial for those with underlying conditions like heart disease or cirrhosis undergoing endoscopic procedures.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Transient bacteremia is common after endoscopic procedures.
- Complicated bacteremia, such as endocarditis, is considered rare in at-risk populations.
- Recent guidelines address antibiotic prophylaxis for patients with valvular heart disease before endoscopy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review cases of complicated bacteremia following endoscopic procedures.
- To identify risk factors and causative organisms.
- To inform prophylaxis recommendations for high-risk patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 16 cases of complicated bacteremia post-endoscopy.
- Analysis of patient underlying conditions, endoscopic procedures, and microbial agents.
- Inclusion of 8 previously published cases and 8 newly encountered cases.
Main Results:
- Common procedures included gastroscopy, sclerotherapy, sigmoidoscopy, and esophageal dilation.
- Underlying conditions were valvular heart disease, liver cirrhosis, and gastric carcinoma.
- Infections included endocarditis (12 cases), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, septic arthritis, and brain abscess.
Conclusions:
- Patients with valvular heart disease, liver cirrhosis, ascites, malignancies, or prosthetic joints undergoing endoscopy are at risk for complicated bacteremia.
- Antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered for these high-risk individuals.
- Prompt recognition and management are crucial, as most patients had favorable outcomes.