The Value of Suction Drainage Fluid Culture during Clean Orthopedic Surgery

Direct examination of drainage fluid Not determined 6 0 No bacteria and !10 neutrophils/mL 710 6 Rare bacteria and 10 neutrophils/mL 7 0 Culture of drainage fluid Not determined 6 0 Bacteria detected !10 cfu/mL 711 6 10 cfu/mL 6 0 fungemic patients in the surgical ICU, 54.7% died. This is an extremely high mortality rate, although it is quite difficult to distinguish the degree to which candidemia contributed to mortality. Most patients had severe underlying disease, and fungemia is often accompanied by bacteremia, which also contributes to mortality. Therefore, the use of both strategies—prophylaxis and early preventive therapy—for high-risk patients is of emerging importance for prospective trials involving patients in the surgical ICU.