How standardised are antibiotic regimens in otologic surgery?

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Infections
• Antibiotic Stewardship

Background:

• Limited studies exist on systemic antibiotic use to prevent surgical site infections in otologic surgery.
• Discrepancies in wound classification complicate antimicrobial prescribing guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare antibiotic prescribing habits of otologic surgeons in Canada and Austria.
• To assess adherence to practice guidelines for various otologic procedures.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire surveyed 33 Canadian and 32 Austrian otologic surgeons.
• Prescribing habits for cochlear implantation, cholesteatoma surgery, stapes surgery, and tympanoplasty were collected.

Main Results:

• Consistent guideline adherence for pre-operative antibiotics in cochlear implant and infected cholesteatoma surgery.
• Lack of consensus for stapes surgery and tympanoplasty regarding pre- and post-operative antibiotics.
• Significant international differences in post-operative antibiotic use for cochlear implant and uninfected cholesteatoma surgery.

Conclusions:

• Lack of consensus among otologic surgeons indicates uncertainty in wound classification.
• This uncertainty impacts adherence to established clinical practice guidelines for antibiotic use.