Early Antibiotic Therapy Reduces Surgical Site Infections After Hip Arthroplasty

March 30, 2007 — Administration of antibiotics before surgery can reduce the risk of surgical site infections, according to the results of a study of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.
Antibiotic prophylaxis is standard practice for total hip arthroplasty, the authors explain, but the optimal timing and duration of prophylaxis remain controversial.
Dr. Marjo E.E. van Kasteren from Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands and colleagues explored the contribution of antibiotic prophylaxis parameters, with an emphasis on the timing of administration, to the incidence of surgical site infections among more than 1900 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.
Waiting until after the incision to administer the first dose of prophylactic antibiotics resulted in an increased incidence of surgical site infections, the authors report, although the difference was not statistically significant.
Postoperative antibiotic doses and the use of antibiotic-impregnated bone cement did not significantly influence the risk of surgical site infections, Dr. van Kasteren's team reports in the April 1st issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.