Biofilm on Chest Drains After Thoracic Surgery: Clinical Impact and Antibiotic Resistance

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Chest Drain Tip Sampling: No active intervention; routine chest drain removal followed by microbiological and biofilm analysis of drain tip samples.

Study summary

This prospective observational study aims to investigate the frequency and clinical significance of biofilm formation on thoracic chest drains used after thoracic surgery. Biofilms are structured bacterial communities that adhere to surfaces and can promote infection and antibiotic resistance. In this study, small samples from the tips of chest drains will be collected under sterile conditions at the time of drain removal and analyzed in the microbiology laboratory.

The main objectives are to evaluate the relationship between the duration of chest drain placement and the presence of biofilm, and to identify the antibiotic resistance profiles of microorganisms isolated from these biofilms. Secondary outcomes include the association between biofilm formation, postoperative infections (such as empyema or wound infection), and the length of hospital stay.

This study will be conducted at Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery, in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology. The findings are expected to contribute to better understanding of optimal drain management and infection prevention strategies after thoracic surgery.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Presence and Intensity of Biofilm Formation on Chest Drain Tips — At the time of chest drain removal (postoperative days 1-7)
  Biofilm formation on the inner surface of chest drain tips will be evaluated using a microplate crystal violet staining method. The optical density (OD) at 492 nm will be measured, and biofilm intensity will be classified according to the Christensen and Chusri scale (non, weak, moderate, strong). The proportion of patients with biofilm-positive drain tips will be recorded and compared across drain duration groups.

Trial sites (1)

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