MRSA infections are now a common infection found in hospitals and nursing homes where they cause widespread infection and in the community where they show up as skin boils and abscesses usually from minor injuries during sports. In elective cosmetic surgery, infections of any kind are possible but MRSA remains very rare.
The emergence of MRSA is directly related to the use of antibiotics to which bacteria become resistant. MRSA is a staph infection. The letters stand for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Staph is the most common cause of surgical infections which is why keeping MRSA at bay is important if you have surgery.
A single MRSA infection from which you recovered six months or more ago should not increase your risk but a recent one may require a delay in the surgery and a recurrent infection will need special planning.
A recurrent MRSA infections in the face suggests you have a MRSA biofilm in your sinuses. A biofilm is a super-thin layer of bacteria that settles on the lining of body spaces such as the sinuses. Antibiotics don’t reach it effectively and it can cause repeated infections. These biofilms can spread infection to other areas when you have surgery. This can be prevented if you get the right preventive antibiotics.
You need to tell your plastic surgeon about the infection including when and how you got it and how it was treated. Some of the extra steps that you may need could be:
- A consultation with an Infectious disease specialist several weeks before surgery,
- MRSA skin or nose cultures several weeks in advance,
- Balloon dilation of a chronically infected sinus six weeks before surgery.
- An antibacterial shower the morning of surgery
- IV vancomycin an hour before surgery
- MRSA antibiotic such as Bactrim after surgery
With the right advance planning and protection, you should be fine.