Comparison of clinical and economic outcomes of two antibiotic prophylaxis regimens for sternal wound infection in high-risk patients following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a prospective randomised double-blind controlled trial.

Objective: Prospective studies show a 10% incidence of sternal wound infection (SWI) after 90 days of follow-up, compared with infection rates of 5% reported by the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System after only 30 days of follow-up. This incidence increases 2-3 times in high-risk patients.

Design: Prospective randomised double-blind controlled clinical trial.

In vivo measurement of circulating leucocyte activation in patients following cardiopulmonary bypass.

We have developed a simple technique to measure in vivo activation of circulating leucocytes and assessed it in 6 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Arterial, mixed venous, and jugular bulb blood samples were taken following i.v.