Microbial colonization of laryngectomy stomas

Abstract number: 1134_03_115

Villar Vidal M., Eraso E., Madariaga L., Marcos C., Acha A., Aguirre J., Quindós G.

Objective:  

To investigate the microbial colonization of the stoma of laryngectomy patients.

Patients and methods:  

Nineteen consecutive patients who had previously undergone laryngectomy were recruited from the Odontology Clinic of our University. Swabs were taken from the laryngectomy stoma site. Microbiological culture and isolation were performed following standard procedures in Columbia agar and Candida ID2 chromogenic agar plates (bioMérieux, France). Identification of isolates was done by catalase production detection, differential growth in Mannitol–Salt agar, Slidex Staph Plus latex reagent and ID 32 STAPH (bioMérieux). Slidex MRSA detection test (bioMérieux) was used for the evaluation of methicillin resistance.

Results:  

Despite no clinical sign of infection, 13 patients were carriers of potentially pathogenic microorganisms (68.4%). Staphylococcus aureus was detected in the stoma of 10 patients (52.6%). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were not isolated. Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from three patients (15.8%). Staphylococcus xylosus was isolated from the stoma of a patient (5.3%) also colonized by S. aureus. Candida albicans and yeast species were not isolated from these clinical specimens.

Conclusion:  

We have found a high incidence of colonization with Staphylococci in laryngectomy stomas with no clinical signs of infection. These microorganisms could be the potentially source for superficial or deep infections.