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Perioperative Prophylactic Use of Antibiotics in Surgery: Principles and Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mervyn Shapiro
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Abstract

Prophylatic use of antimicrobics represents about 30% of total hospital use of these agents. Previous studies in animal models have suggested that timing of such prophylaxis is crucial, to the extent of the existence of a “critical period” for effective administration. This phenomenon has further been shown to exist in man, in numerous double-blind, controlled clinical trials in various types of surgical wounds. On these bases, we introduced new prophylactic protocols in a university hospital, specifically directed at reducing infection in high-risk procedures. Surveillance was conducted by infection control nurses, and one antibiotic-day was the comparative unit. Infection rates were markedly diminished under these new protocols. Total usage of antimicrobial drugs also decreased by 38% over previous rates. The rationale for limiting prophylaxis to a conscribed period was clearly demonstrated, although the exact mechanisms responsible for this effect are, as yet, unclear.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , February 1982 , pp. 38 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1982

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