Antibiotics Prophylaxis Practice in Arthroplasty Surgeries

Background Infection in orthopedic surgery is one of the most dreaded complications. It is associated with prolonged morbidity, disability, and increased mortality. One of the cornerstones of the prevention of infections is antibiotic prophylaxis. This study assessed the practice of antibiotic prophylaxis in arthroplasty surgeries in our local hospital. Methods One hundred and seventy-one elective joint replacement patients were retrospectively analyzed for documentation of antibiotic plan in postoperative instruction, choice of antibiotic, dose, and dosage. Compliance with the dosage (duration and frequency) of antibiotic prophylaxis was compared among patients who underwent different operations, among patients whose operation notes had antibiotics plans, and among those patients whose operation notes lacked this information. Results Ninety-six females and 75 males with a mean age of 71.4±9.8 years who underwent hip replacement, knee replacement, or shoulder replacement were included in this study. Preoperative and postoperative antibiotics were received by 100% and 94.7% of patients, respectively. In 19.3%, there was no instruction about postoperative antibiotics while 4% missed at least one postoperative dose. The dosage of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics was variable as 26.3% of the patients experienced delayed administration of doses. Not having intravenous access, failure to prescribe antibiotics, and prescribing antibiotics in the "once only" rather than "regular medication" section of the medication chart were the reasons for improper timing of antibiotic doses. Observing surgical safety checklist was effective in ensuring preoperative antibiotic administration, whereas failing to document antibiotic plan in operation note was associated with poor compliance with postoperative dosage. Interprofessional participation is crucial to compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis practice. Conclusion This study identified key areas for improvement in our antibiotics prophylaxis practice. It resulted in implementing strategies to improve staff's awareness about the importance of timely administration of prophylactic antibiotics and proper documentation by all team members.