The Problem of Staphylococcal Infection in Cardiovascular Surgery*†

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Abstract
That infections with antibiotic-resistant staphylococci are becoming more prevalent is widely accepted. With rare exceptions, staphylococcal bacteremia in a patient with acquired or congenital cardiovascular disease, pre- or postoperatively, signifies endocarditis. Treatment, with antimicrobial agents that are rapidly bactericidal for the etiologic organism if possible, must be prompt to save life and minimize valvular damage. Taken as a whole, in recent years the results of treatment of persistent staphylococcal bacteremia have been poor. Average recovery rates are about 30 to 50%. Inasmuch as 50% or more of serious staphylococcal complications are acquired in hospitals, rigid prophylaxis must be practiced. A detailed program for the prevention of postoperative infections is presented.