Use of postoperative antibiotics in elective soft tissue hand surgeries

Abstract EN

Objective : To evaluate prophylactic postoperative antibiotic use in elective soft tissue hand surgeries.

Design : A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Setting : King Hamad University Hospital, Bahrain.

Method: Retrospective review of 309 patients undergoing elective soft tissue hand surgery from 2012 to 2015.

One hundred fifty-nine (51.5%) of these patients received postoperative prophylactic antibiotics while 150 (48.5%) did not.

The records were reviewed for the type of procedure performed, comorbidities, use of postoperative antibiotics, outpatient visits and associated complications.

Result : One hundred fifty-nine (51.5%) patients (group I) received postoperative prophylactic antibiotics and 150 (48.5%) did not (group II).

Four (1.3%) patients had infection (3 from group I and 1 from group II).

One (0.3%) patient had deep surgical site infections and 2 (0.6%) patients had superficial surgical site infections, all received postoperative antibiotics.

The P-Value obtained was 0.63.

Conclusion : Our study failed to demonstrate a benefit of prescribing prophylactic postoperative antibiotics to patients undergoing elective soft tissue hand surgery.

Unwarranted antibiotic administration may pose harm to the patient as gastrointestinal side effects, allergic reactions and/or antimicrobial resistance.