Local Antibiotic Therapy to Reduce Infection After Operative Treatment of Fractures at High Risk of Infection: A Multicenter Randomized, Controlled Trial (VANCO)

Completed · Phase 3

Conditions studied: Post Operative Surgical Site Infection

In brief

The Vancomycin Study is a multi-center, prospective randomized controlled trial that will compare the proportion of deep surgical site infections within 6 months in patients treated with local Vancomycin powder compared to those treated without local Vancomycin powder at the time of fracture fixation.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02227446

Run by

Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium

People needed

1036

Starts

2014-10-01

Expected to finish

2019-11-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• All "high energy" tibial plateau fractures treated operatively with plate and screw fixation.
• We define "high energy" tibial plateau fractures as patients who are either:
• Initially treated with an external fixation (with or without limited internal fixation) and treated definitively more than 3 days later after swelling has resolved.
• Any open type I, II, or IIIA fracture, regardless of timing of definitive treatment.
• Any tibial plateau fracture associated with ipsilateral leg compartment syndrome fasciotomy wounds.
• All "high energy" pilon (distal tibial plafond) fractures treated operatively with plate and screw fixation. We define "high energy" pilon fractures as patients who are either:
• Initially treated with an external fixation (with or without fibula fixation or limited internal fixation) and treated definitively more than 3 days later after swelling has resolved.
• Any open type I, II, or IIIA fracture, regardless of timing of definitive treatment.
• Any tibial pilon fracture associated with ipsilateral leg compartment syndrome fasciotomy wounds.
• Ages 18 to 80 years
• Patients may have co-existing non-tibial infection, with or without antibiotic treatment.
• Patients may have risk factors for infection including diabetes, immunosuppression from steroids or other medications, HIV, or other infections.
• Patients may have a head injury
• Patients may have a portion of the fixation (e.g. fibula fixation in pilon or percutaneous screws across a tibial plateau fracture) prior to definitive plate fixation, at the initial surgery before randomization.
• Patients may have other orthopedic and non-orthopaedic injuries.
• Patients may have pre-existing musculoskeletal injuries, be non ambulators, or have spinal cord injuries.
• Women and minorities are included

You may not qualify if…

• The study injury: tibial plateau, pilon, is already infected at time of study enrollment.
• Patient speaks neither English nor Spanish.
• Patients who have already had definitive fixation prior to enrollment in the study.
• Severe problems with maintaining follow-up (e.g. patients who are homeless at the time of injury or those how are intellectually challenged without adequate family support).
• Patients with allergies, drug administration reactions, or other sensitivities to Vancomycin (such as a history of Redman's Syndrome).
• Pregnancy.
• The study injury is a type IIIB or IIIC open fracture.

Where it is running

• University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center — Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.