Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Gram-Negative Isolates from Intensive Care Units in Eight Hospitals in Turkey

With the participation of eight major reference hospitals in Turkey, 749 aerobic Gram-negative isolates obtained from 473 intensive care patients in 1997 were tested for their susceptibility to 13 commonly employed antibacterial agents. The frequency with which species were isolated and resistance rates were compared with data from the previous 2 years. Imipenem was the most active agent against the majority of isolates (75%), followed by ciprofloxacin, cefepime and amikacin. The per cent susceptibility to all antibiotics declined from 1995 to 1996. With the exception of imipenem, for which there was no change in resistance, the per cent susceptibility somewhat increased in 1997. However, it was still lower than in 1995.Wo

A surveillance study of antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from intensive care units in eight hospitals in Turkey

This study was carried out with the participation of eight hospitals in Turkey to determine the frequency of Gram-negative bacteria isolated in intensive care units (ICU) and to compare their resistance rates to selected antibiotics. Aerobic Gram-negative bacteria isolated from ICUs during 1996 were studied. Antibiotic susceptibilities to imipenem, ceftazidime, ceftazidime-clavulanate, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefepime, cefodizime, cefuroxime, piperacillin/tazobactam, amoxycillin-clavulanate, gentamicin, amikacin and ciprofloxacin were determined by Etest. A total of 748 isolates were obtained from 547 patients. The majority of organisms were isolated from the respiratory (38.8%) and urinary tracts (30.9%). Pseudomonas spp. were the most frequently isolated Gram-negative species (26.8%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (26.2%). Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter spp. and Enterobacter spp. were the other commonly isolated organisms. High resistance rates were observed for all antibiotics studied. Imipenem appeared to be the most active agent against the majority of isolates. Although resistance rates exceeded 50%, ciprofloxacin, cefepime and amikacin were found to be relatively effective. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production appeared to be a major mechanism of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. In contrast to ceftazidime-clavulanate, piperacillin/tazobactam showed poor activity against organisms thought to produce ESBL, suggesting the presence of an enzyme resistant to tazobactam action. This study has yielded high rates of resistance in aerobic Gram-negative isolates from ICUs in Turkey. High resistance rates to all the other antibacterials studied leave imipenem as the only reliable agent for the empirical treatment of ICU infections in Turkey

The Enlarged Translabyrinthine and Transapical Extension Type I Approach for Large Vestibular Schwannomas

To evaluate the results obtained by performing the enlarged translabyrinthine and transapical extension type I approaches for removal of large vestibular schwannomas and those with anterior extensions. An academic tertiary referral centre at Mumbai, India. Retrospective case review. 35 patients of vestibular schwannomas having size greater than 3 cm in extrameatal diameter with extension anterior to the internal auditory canal who underwent the enlarged translabyrinthine or transapical extension type I approach and with a minimum follow up of 1 year are considered. Other subjects who underwent translabyrinthine approach but did not fulfill the above criteria were excluded. Tumor was removed completely in 34 subjects (97.1%). Anatomic interruption of facial nerve occured in 4 cases (11.4%); 3 subjects underwent end to end anastomosis and 1 subject required a cable graft, these were done during the primary procedure itself. At 1 year follow up 28 subjects (80%) had good facial function (Grade I and II, House Brackmann Grading). Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak was encountered in 1 subject (2.9%). 34 subjects (97.1%) had a normal albeit slow gait by the sixth post-operative day. Complete tumor removal with a very low morbidity in our series suggest that the enlarged translabyrinthine and transapical extension type I approach offers excellent control of the neurovascular structures in the cerebellopontine angle as also of the large vestibular schwannoma itself aiding complete removal. It also offers the advantage of management of the interrupted facial nerve at the primary procedure itself since the proximal and distal segments are in the operative field