Staph infection and its evil sibling MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, are of deep concern in the medical world. The bacteria’s ubiquitous nature, uncanny hardiness, ability to evolve and potential for causing very serious health issues—including death—are reasons you should know about staph and MRSA if you’re considering plastic surgery.
The first thing to understand about Staphylococcus aureus is that the bacterium is everywhere. According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s very common on the skin and inside the nose of healthy people and most often poses no problem as long as immune systems are up to par. But bacteria can invade the body through cuts and abrasions, and when you’re vulnerable due to illness or a medical procedure, your system may not be able to fight off staph.
Plastic surgery can increase the risk of staph infection due to the one-two punch of surgical wounds and the fact that your immune system will work extra hard to help you recover. Staphylococcus aureus can travel to internal organs through the breathing tube, IV tube and catheter your plastic surgeon may use during your procedure.
The second worrisome thing about staph is its incredible resiliency. It can survive many of the common weapons used to eradicate bacteria, including high temperature, dryness and salt. It can survive a long time on towels, sheets and pillowcases, even through washing cycles. The Mayo Clinic says, “Despite vigorous attempts to eradicate them, staph bacteria remain widespread in hospitals,” attacking vulnerable patients.
The third attribute of staph is one that confounds the medical community: its ability to evolve to resist antibiotics. Once treated with penicillin, staph infections now require different antibiotics. MRSA, shorthand for strains of bacteria that became resistant to methicillin and other antibiotics, may respond to drugs such as erythromycin and ciprofloxacin, but there are reports that MRSA is becoming resistant to some of these choices as well. For those with MRSA, treatment is often an uncertain trial-and-error proposition that can require hospitalization and drugs administered intravenously.
Finally, know that staph and MRSA can be very serious. If the bacteria enter your bloodstream, your bones and joints can be affected, triggering great pain. MRSA can reach your lungs and heart, causing pneumonia and even death if treated unsuccessfully.
You don’t need to panic if you’re preparing for plastic surgery, but staph and MRSA should be on your list of considerations. Ask your plastic surgeon what she or he does to minimize the risk of infection, and what you can do. Be sure to tell your doctor if there’s any reason to be concerned about your immune system, whether you have been hospitalized for any length of time in recent years and if you have undergone courses of antibiotics. These factors can increase your risk of staph infection/MRSA.
You may want to consider having surgery in an accredited ambulatory surgical facility rather than a hospital, since they’re known for lower infection rates. Shorter stays, minor procedures and generally healthy patients contribute to this. But no matter where you decide to have surgery, it’s a good idea to find out about the facility’s infection control measures.
Pre-screening for staph may be another option. The risk of MRSA can be especially high for those undergoing rhinoplasty, since staph bacteria often live inside the nose. An article last year in the journal "Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery" suggested that pre-screening for staph bacteria and treatment prior to surgery can dramatically reduce the risk of post-surgical infection. Ask your doctor about whether pre-screening is advisable for you, especially if you’re planning a nose job or other facial plastic surgery.
Even though they’re referred to sometimes as “flesh-eating superbugs,” don’t let the threat of staff and MRSA deter you from having a procedure that can improve your quality of life. As always, just do your homework.