Prophylactic Antibiotics in Hip Fracture Surgery: A Randomized Prospective Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Hip fracture surgeries are common orthopedic procedures.
• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are severe complications following hip surgery.
• Antibiotic prophylaxis is crucial for preventing SSIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of single-dose versus multi-dose antibiotic prophylaxis on SSIs in hip fracture patients.
• To determine if a three-dose antibiotic regimen offers superior SSI prevention compared to a single preoperative dose.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 62 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.
• Group A received a single preoperative antibiotic dose; Group B received three doses (one pre- and two post-operatively).
• Patients were monitored for wound condition and signs of infection; data analyzed using SPSS with chi-square testing.

Main Results:

• Only three patients (4.8%) developed SSIs.
• No statistically significant difference in SSI rates was found between the single-dose and three-dose antibiotic groups.
• The number of antibiotic doses did not show a significant association with surgical site infections.

Conclusions:

• There is no statistical relationship between the number of prophylactic antibiotic doses (single vs. three) and the incidence of SSIs in hip surgery patients.
• Findings suggest that a single preoperative dose of antibiotics may be as effective as a multi-dose regimen for preventing SSIs in this patient population.