Antibiotic usage in surgery in a large teaching hospital

A prevalence study of the antibiotic usage in the surgical departments at the Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, showed that 126/517 hospitalized patients (24%) received antibiotics and that 100/306 operated patients (33%) received antibiotics. 44 (44%) of the operated patients were given their antibiotics as prophylaxis and 46 (37%) of all patients receiving antibiotics were given them as prophylaxis. Antibiotics were administered intravenously to 35 (28%) patients, orally to 75 (60%), and topically to 16 patients (13%) (eye department only). The most commonly used drugs in prophylaxis were isoxazolylpenicillins and trimethoprim-sulphonamide while cephalosporins accounted for a minor part. In therapy the most commonly used drug was isoxazolylpenicillin, followed by ampicillin derivatives, metronidazole, tetracyclines, trimethoprim-sulphonamide and cephalosporins. The pattern of antibiotic usage differed markedly between departments.