Aerobic isolates in hemovac lines.

Positive aerobic isolates from hemovac lines were found in 41 of 68 patients (60%) who had major head and neck procedures requiring the hemovac drainage system during the postoperative period. When studied up to six days of placement, the number and the type of organisms in a hemovac system generally remained the same. A clue to impending infection was the isolation of two or more different genera from the hemovac system. Isolates from hemovac lines can frequently indicate the cause of the complication. Possible pathogens in postoperative head and neck infections include gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi.