[Teicoplanin in the prophylaxis of surgical infections and bacterial endocarditis]

Antibiotic prophylaxis has become a standard of care in all surgical categories, since its impact in reducing the incidence of post-operative infections has now been well established. Antibiotic prophylaxis should target expected pathogens. Glycopeptide-based regimens have been considered a choice for surgical procedures, since Gram-positive bacteria are the pathogens most commonly isolated from wound infections. In orthopedics, cardiac, vascular and other clean surgical procedures, staphylococci (S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci) are responsible for 70-90% of post-surgical infections. The isolation of methicillin-resistant strains has also risen to alarmingly high rates. This article focuses on the results of clinical trials on the efficacy of teicoplanin as prophylaxis in clean surgical procedures.