Prevention of Surgical Infections

Most surgical procedures do not require prophylactic or postoperative antibiotics. However, certain patient-related and procedure-related factors alter the risk/benefit ratio in favor of prophylactic use.

Patient-related risk factors suggesting need for antibiotics include

• Certain valvular heart disorders

• Immunosuppression

Procedures with higher risk involve areas where bacterial seeding is likely:

• Mouth

• Gastrointestinal tract

• Respiratory tract

• Genitourinary tract

In so-called clean (likely to be sterile) procedures, prophylaxis generally is beneficial only when prosthetic material or devices are being inserted or when the consequence of infection is known to be serious (eg, mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting).

Choice of antibiotics is based on the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) guidelines ( see Perioperative Management). There is strong evidence that standardizing antibiotic choices and adhering to SCIP protocols or another standardized and validated protocol reduce the risk of surgical infection. Some regions of the US that followed SCIP guidelines were able to decrease surgical site infections by 25% from 2006 to 2010. Drug choice is based on the drug's activity against the bacteria most likely to contaminate the wound during the specific procedure ( see Table: Antibiotic Regimens for Certain Surgical Procedures

The Center for Disease Control has published guidelines for prevention of surgical site infections that address topical and nondrug antiseptic measures (eg, bathing, sealants, irrigation, prophylaxis for prosthetic devices).