Mupirocin ointment before a total hip or knee arthroscopy is a safe and cost-effective intervention for reducing surgical site infections, according to a study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
For their study, researchers assessed the cost-effectiveness and safety of preoperative screening and/or administration of mupirocin to patients over a one-year period. A hypothetical cohort of patients due to undergo total joint arthroplasty were divided into three groups: (1) patients obtaining preoperative screening cultures, followed by administration of mupirocin to patients with cultures positive for MRSA; (2) patients provided empirical preoperative treatment with mupirocin without screening; and (3) patients provided no preoperative treatment or screening.
Their analysis showed patients in the first and second group, who received either both screening and treatment or treatment alone, had better cost-savings than the third group. A sensitivity analysis showed that this conclusion still held when the cost of mupirocin was more than $100 and the cost of surgical site infections ranged from $26,000-250,000.
For their study, researchers assessed the cost-effectiveness and safety of preoperative screening and/or administration of mupirocin to patients over a one-year period. A hypothetical cohort of patients due to undergo total joint arthroplasty were divided into three groups: (1) patients obtaining preoperative screening cultures, followed by administration of mupirocin to patients with cultures positive for MRSA; (2) patients provided empirical preoperative treatment with mupirocin without screening; and (3) patients provided no preoperative treatment or screening.
Their analysis showed patients in the first and second group, who received either both screening and treatment or treatment alone, had better cost-savings than the third group. A sensitivity analysis showed that this conclusion still held when the cost of mupirocin was more than $100 and the cost of surgical site infections ranged from $26,000-250,000.
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