Effect of Local Use of Rifampicin on the Development of Surgical Site Infection after Lumbar Microdiscectomy.

Abstract

To investigate the effect of local use of rifampicin (RIF) on the development of postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) after lumbar microdiscectomy. Observational study. Van YuzuncuYil University Medical School Neurosurgery Clinic, between 2020 and 2022. This retrospective study reviewed the clinical and laboratory records of 178 patients who underwent lumbar microsurgery. After lumbar microsurgery, one ampoule of rifampicin (RIF) (250 mg) was locally injected into the surgical site in 62 patients (RIF group), while the remaining 116 patients (non-RIF group) received no injection into the surgical site after lumbar microsurgery. Normal distribution of data was analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Continuous variables were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and categorical variables were compared using chi-square test or Fisher's exact test as needed. In the postoperative period, local infection developed in one patient in the RIF group, while local infection developed in 11 and deep infection developed in three of the patients in the non-RIF group. Moreover, the risk of local infection development was significantly higher in the non-RIF group compared to the RIF group. The rate of superficial SSI was lower in the RIF group compared to the non-RIF group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to the rate of deep SSI. Postoperative infection is an extremely important clinical condition manifesting in the form of superficial or deep SSI. The utmost care and necessary precautions should be taken to avoid postoperative infections. Intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis is the most effective method in preventing postoperative spinal infections. Infection, Lumbar microdiscectomy, Rifampicin, Local infection, Deep infection.