Randomized clinical trial of preoperative intranasal mupirocin to reduce surgical-site infection after digestive surgery

Background Compromised patients subjected to major digestive surgery frequently develop infective complications caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which may have dangerous consequences. This was a prospective randomized study to determine whether intranasal mupirocin could reduce postoperative infective complications in patients having digestive surgery. Methods A total of 395 patients who underwent abdominal digestive surgery were assigned randomly into two groups: a treated group (193 patients) and controls (202). Patients in the treated group were given 30 mg mupirocin calcium hydrate ointment topically to each nostril three times a day on each of the 3 days before operation. The untreated group received no mupirocin treatment. Results Most infections were due to Gram-negative bacteria in both groups. There were 21 Gram-positive infections detected at the surgical site, ten in the treated group and 11 in control patients. The incidence of pneumonia was significantly different between the groups (none in the treated group and five in control patients; P = 0·028). Four of five patients with pneumonia had a sputum culture containing MRSA. Conclusion Intranasal mupirocin treatment had no significant impact on surgical-site infection after digestive surgery.