Surgical Site Infections After Liver Transplantation: Prospective Surveillance and Evaluation of 250 Transplant Recipients in Canada.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of surgical-site infections (SSIs) in a cohort of liver transplant recipients and to assess risk factors predisposing patients to these infections. DESIGN Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING Single transplant center in Canada.

Leflunomide for the treatment of trichodysplasia spinulosa in a liver transplant recipient.

Trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS) is a rare dermatologic complication associated with the immunosuppressive therapy used in solid organ transplantation. The distinctive clinical manifestation of this condition is spiny follicular papules on the face, ears, extremities, and trunk. Histopathologically, abnormally maturing hair follicles with hyperkeratotic material are noted.

Management of the catheter in documented catheter-related coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia: remove or retain?

Background: Studies and guidelines recommending the retention of the central venous catheter (CVC) in patients with coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia were based on loose definitions of bacteremia and/or did not evaluate the risk of recurrence. In this study, we used strict definitions of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia to determine the impact of CVC retention on response to and recurrence of infection.

Methods: During the period from July 2005 through December 2007, we retrospectively evaluated 188 patients with coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia.

Management of Bacillus bacteremia: the need for catheter removal.

Bacillus species are biofilm-forming organisms that are associated with Bacillus catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). The optimal treatment of Bacillus CRBSIs is not known. Therefore, in the current study, we determined the role of long-term central venous catheter (CVC) removal and treatment with vancomycin compared with other agents in Bacillus CRBSIs by retrospectively reviewing the medical records of cancer patients with Bacillus bacteremia who had been treated at our institution from December 1990 to March 2008.