Effect of antibiotic duration on colorectal SSIs

Editor's Note

When colorectal surgical patients, who were given a single dose of antibiotic before surgery and re-dosing if the procedure lasted longer, were compared to patients given additional antibiotics for 24 hours postoperatively, infection rates were identical, this study finds.

A total of 965 patients were included in this study from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Cohort 1 (2012-2013) had antibiotic coverage pre-, intra-, and up to 24 hours postoperatively, and cohort 2 (2014-2015) eliminated postoperative antibiotics.

There were no differences for superficial or deep SSI rates between cohorts: Cohort 1 had a 5.7% rate, compared with 5.3% in cohort 2.

The results present an opportunity for surgeons to reconsider antibiotic duration and minimize unnecessary dosing, the authors say.

BACKGROUND: Despite distant historical studies that demonstrated the adequacy of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, current surgical practice continues to use antibiotics for postoperative coverage up to 24 hours. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate a change in antibiotic prophyla...