Preparación del injerto con vancomicina y su incidencia en la disminución de infección luego de la reconstrucción del LCA

Abstract

Introduction: postoperative septic arthritis (SA) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a rare but potentially devastating complication. To decrease this risk in 2019 we started presoaking ACL grafts with vancomycin prior to implantation. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of postoperative SA with and without vancomycin presoaked grafts.

Materials and methods: a retrospective cohort study was conducted including all patients who underwent primary ACLR. Consecutive periods were studied, inclusive of January 2016 through February 2019 (group without vancomycin) and March 2019 through March 2021 (group with vancomycin protocol). The final outcome studied was occurrence of postoperative SA in both groups. Cases of superficial wound infection and cases of postoperative arthrofibrosis were also recorded.

Results: a total of 808 patients were included in the study: 551 (68%) in the group without vancomycin and 257 (32%) in the vancomycin protocol group. Seven cases of postoperative SA were noted in the first group (rate 1.27%, IC95%: 0,5% - 2,5%), while no cases of SA were noted in the vancomycin group during the study period (p = 0.07). Regarding superficial wound infection, four cases were noted, all of them in the first group (p = 0.17). A total of fourteen cases of arthrofibrosis were treated with a mobilization under anesthesia, twelve from the first group (2.1%) and two from the vancomycin group (0.78%) (p = 0.156).

Conclusion: presoaking of autografts in vancomycin for primary ACLR prevented the occurrence of postoperative SA during the study period as compared with no soaking of the grafts.