Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · May 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffects of topical oral antiseptic rinses on bacterial counts of saliva in healthy human subjects.
Wound infections remain a significant source of morbidity in patients undergoing major head and neck operations that invade the aerodigestive tract. Infection rates have been significantly reduced by the administration of perioperative intravenous antibiotics; however, the incidence of infection remains unacceptably high. This study was undertaken to help identify an oral antiseptic that could significantly reduce the bacterial colony count of human saliva. ⋯ Both Listerine antiseptic and Peridex oral rinse significantly reduced bacterial counts at 1 hour after treatment in our volunteers. At 4 hours after treatment, Peridex oral rinse showed a further reduction in the bacterial colony count whereas Listerine antiseptic showed no difference compared with normal saline solution. At 4 hours after treatment, Peridex oral rinse reduced the total bacterial colony count by 85%.
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Despite the development of new antibiotics, the aminoglycosides are still indispensable in the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Worldwide they are the most commonly used antibiotics, and their use is expected to increase in the wake of the rising incidence of tuberculosis. The most prominent side effects of aminoglycoside treatment--cochlear, vestibular, and renal impairment--are a limiting factor in the utility of these drugs. ⋯ Predictions from this mechanism have led to successful therapeutic prevention of ototoxicity by use of iron chelators and radical scavengers in guinea pigs. The drugs used for this interventive treatment affect neither serum levels of gentamicin nor its antibacterial efficacy. Because these drugs are in clinical use, the suggested protective treatment should lend itself to clinical trials.