Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections of soft issues of the oral cavity, face and neck in patients hospitalized at the Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery Department.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to identify a group of patients at high risk of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection following surgical procedures involving oral cavity, head and neck.

Material And Methods: A retrospective analysis of demographic, clinical and laboratory data was performed. A manual search of laboratory records for a five years period (2005-2009) was performed for specimens submitted to the diagnostic microbiology laboratory from patients admitted to the Cranio-Maxillofacial and Oncologic Surgery Department.

Results: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 26 cases. Most commonly it was isolated from tongue swabs in patients following extensive oncological surgical procedures involving oral cavity. Most common risk factors were: age above 65 years, neoplasms, multisite trauma with loss of consciousness, cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, tobacco addiction, antibiotic therapy immediately before hospitalization. More than half of patients with MRSA infection required surgical treatment except for pharmacological treatment.

Conclusions: Monitoring of postoperative wounds is of great importance with regard to he risk of MRSA infection.