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The Effect of Pretreatment for Propionibacterium Acnes on Surgical Site Burden in Shoulder Arthroplasty

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Shoulder Arthroplasty
Interventions
Other: Control
Device: Blue Light Phototherapy
Drug: Benzyl Peroxide
Registration Number
NCT04112407
Lead Sponsor
Albany Medical College
Brief Summary

Cutibacterium acnes - formally known as Propionibacter acnes (P. acnes) is the most common pathogen associated with prosthetic joint infection of the shoulder. Despite current skin preparation techniques, P. acnes is encountered at the skin surface and at the natural reservoir in the sebaceous glands during the surgical exposure; current levels of exposure are implicated in overall prosthetic infection risk. Therefore, this study endeavors to decrease P. acnes burden at the surgical incision using preoperative blue light phototherapy and benzyl peroxide washes targeting both the skin surface and sebaceous glands.

Detailed Description

The study hypotheses will be tested using a prospective randomized-controlled trial of the effect of combination blue spectrum phototherapy and benzoyl peroxide on P. acnes at the shoulder arthroplasty surgical site. Accordingly, it will conform to the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines. Subjects presenting to our Orthopaedic department will be randomized to one of three study arms:

1. Control: standard preparation of the surgical site without P. acnes pretreatment

2. BPO group: Pretreatment with 2 days of washes prior to surgery

3. BPO and Phototherapy: 2 days of washes with 3 treatments of blue spectrum phototherapy

Patients will be seen at our office will be consented and recruited into the study. Subjects will have standard of care evaluation including: radiographs, preoperative labs and clearances. If selected and agreeable, treatment with phototherapy will involve the application of three sessions lasting 3 minutes preoperatively; the sessions will be conducted by the patient at home for two days prior to surgery and in the preoperative holding area. During each application, protective eyewear will be used. For patients in the BPO groups, a 10% benzoyl peroxide wash will be used globally on the operative shoulder and axilla during showering. An educational leaflet will outline the surgical field in addition to temporary demarcation at the time of BPO pickup at the office. Additional tests, imaging or procedures will be at the discretion of the treating physician and documented during the study. During the postoperative visit at 10-14 days, the post operative wound will be assessed in the standard manner. Final culture results will be recorded for each patient and documented in the study database.

* The surgical site will be prepared in usual fashion with Chloroprep and the patients will receive preoperative Cefazolin (or vancomycin based on penicillin allergy)

* Following both draping and skin incision, the surgeons gloves will be changed; any blades used in the skin incision will also be discarded

* Intraoperative cultures will be taken following established protocols, published in the literature: an excisional biopsy 1cm long and 3mm wide will be taken from the medial wound edge at the time of incision; the superficial dermal tissue will be swabbed immediately after the biopsy is taken and finally, a swab of the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint will be performed prior to closure at the end of the procedure and after insertion of the implant.

* Specimens will be transported to the laboratory adjoining the operating room at our institution within 1 hour of harvesting and processed by microbiology technicians in a laminar flow biological safety hood. Tissue from the skin edge will be homogenized in sterile saline solution and plated on media: blood agar, chocolate agar, Brucella agar, MacConkey agar, Columbia nalidixic acid agar and phenylethyl alcohol anaerobic blood agar. All media will be incubated at 37C for 14 days.

* Specimens will be incubated for 14 days in aerobic and anaerobic media to detect P acnes and other organisms

* Culture results will not be discussed with patients; patients will be consented to not know their results as they are not clinically significant

* Prophylactic antibiotic treatment of positive cultures will not be performed in any case.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
120
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ControlControlStandard preparation of the surgical site without P. acnes pretreatment
BPO and PhototherapyBlue Light Phototherapy2 days of benzoyl peroxide washes and 3 treatments of blue light phototherapy. Pretreatment with 10% Benzoyl peroxide body wash for two consecutive days of washes prior to surgery at home. The anterior shoulder area is wet before treatment; the wash is massaged in for 20 seconds producing a lather and washed off, patting dry. The blue light phototherapy is administered to the shoulder for 3 minutes on three occasions; 2 days before, the day before surgery and in the preoperative area by the patient.
BPO GroupBenzyl PeroxidePretreatment with 10% Benzoyl peroxide body wash for two consecutive days of washes prior to surgery at home. The anterior shoulder area is wet before treatment; the wash is massaged in for 20 seconds producing a lather and washed off, patting dry.
BPO and PhototherapyBenzyl Peroxide2 days of benzoyl peroxide washes and 3 treatments of blue light phototherapy. Pretreatment with 10% Benzoyl peroxide body wash for two consecutive days of washes prior to surgery at home. The anterior shoulder area is wet before treatment; the wash is massaged in for 20 seconds producing a lather and washed off, patting dry. The blue light phototherapy is administered to the shoulder for 3 minutes on three occasions; 2 days before, the day before surgery and in the preoperative area by the patient.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Rate of total culture positivity during shoulder arthroplasty14 days in culture

To compare the rates of P. Acnes culture positivity (including all samples) between groups. Therein, assessing the efficacy of the interventions to decrease P. Acnes burden (measured by the rate of culture positivity) in surgical field.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Correlation of the rate of superficial culture positivity and the rate deep culture positivity during shoulder arthroplasty14 days in culture

To investigate the correlation between the rate of positive deep cultures in samples taken at the end of surgery (1 deep swab) and the rate of superficial culture positivity of samples taken at the beginning of the case (incisional biopsy and superficial dermal swab). It is theorized that P. Acnes in the superficial wound is propagated to the deeper tissues during surgery, impacting deep culture rates and possibly contributing to prosthetic joint infection risk.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Albany Medical Center

🇺🇸

Albany, New York, United States

Hospital for Special Surgery

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

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