Value of prophylactic postoperative antibiotic therapy after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: a clinical trial

Antibiotic therapy before or after orthognathic surgery is commonly recommended by surgeons to minimize the risk of wound infection. This article evaluates the value of Prophylactic antibiotic therapy in order to diminish the incidence of postoperative wound infection after orthognathic surgery.

Fifty candidates for bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were divided into cases and controls. Cefazolin (1g) was administered intravenously to all participants 30 mins prior to surgery followed by a similar dose 4 hours later. Case-group patients ingested amoxicillin (500 mg) orally for 7 days after surgery. Postoperative wound infection was assessed using clinical features, and the P-value significance was set at P<0.05.

Both groups were similar according to gender, age, and operating time. During the follow-up period no infection was observed in either the case or control group.

The results of this study suggest that long-term postoperative antibiotic therapy is not essential for the prevention of postoperative infection, and that application of aseptic surgical technique and hygiene instruction after surgery are sufficient.