Open AccessThe Effect of Differing Ambient Oxygen Tensions on Wound Infection
Author(s) -
Thomas K. Hunt,
M Linsey,
Gunta Crislis,
M Sonne,
Ernest Jawetz
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
annals of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.153
H-Index - 309
eISSN - 1528-1140
pISSN - 0003-4932
DOI - 10.1097/00000658-197501000-00009
Subject(s) - medicine , sonne , oxygen , microbiology and biotechnology , oceanography , cruise , biology , geology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Wound infections were studied in rabbits using two standard inocula (approximately equal to 10-4 and approximately equal to 10-6) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa injected into subcutaneous wound dead space made by implantation of standard wire mesh cylinders. The inoculation was done on the fourth day after implantation of the cylinders in animals kept from the day of implantation in atmospheres of 12%, 21%, or 45% oxygen content. Samples of wound fluid (0.2 ml) were removed for quantitative culture just before inoculation and 3, 7, 14, and 21 days later. No positive cultures resulted from samples taken before inoculation. One uninoculated wound served as a control in each animal. None of these control wounds became infected. Culture counts were significantly highest in the anoxic group and lowest in the hyperoxic group. Established infections were significantly lowest in the hyperoxics and highest in the hypoxics. The percent of wounds showing a significant culture count showed a similar trend. The mechanisms of this effect is not known, but a possible mechanism lies in the relative inability of leucocytes to kill this bacterium under hypoxic conditions.