Choosing Wisely:

Don’t continue surgical prophylactic antibiotics after the patient has left the operating room.

Search Recommendations

Rationale and Comments: Prophylactic antibiotics during surgery can significantly decrease the risk of surgical site infections; however, they only have benefit if used immediately around the time of surgery. When antibiotics are used for longer than necessary, they increase the risk of infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and C. difficile.
Sponsoring Organizations:
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
    • Sources:
  • Expert consensus
    		•
    Disciplines:
  • Infectious disease
  • Surgical
    		•
    References: • Anderson DJ, Podgorny K, Berríos-Torres SI, Bratzler DW, Dellinger EP, Greene L, Nyquist AC, Saiman L, Yokoe DS, Maragakis LL, Kaye KS. Strategies to prevent surgical site infections in acute care hospitals: 2014 update. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2014 Sep;35 Suppl 2:S66-88.
    • Bratzler DW, Dellinger EP, Olsen KM, Perl TM, Auwaerter PG, Bolon MK, Fish DN, Napolitano LM, Sawyer RG, Slain D, Steinberg JP, Weinstein RA; American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; Infectious Disease Society of America; Surgical Infection Society; Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Clinical practice guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2013 Feb 1;70(3):195-283.
    • Print page PRINT

    Email Alerts

    Don't miss a single issue. Sign up for the free AFP email table of contents.

    Sign Up Now