Antiseptic and Antibiotic Stewardship in Dermatologic Surgery: Is Benzoyl Peroxide the Solution?
Rama Abdin1, Michael Kaiser2, James Q Del Rosso3
1Dr. Abdin is with Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.
Objective:
We sought to review published literature on antibiotic and antiseptic use and resistance, and explore the utility of benzoyl peroxide in this capacity for dermatologic surgery.
Methods:
A literature review was performed to investigate the skin microbiome, guidelines on antibiotic and antiseptic use in dermatologic surgery, and the utility of benzoyl peroxide as an antiseptic.
Results:
Antiseptics are commonly used in dermatologic surgery to prepare surgical sites, and antibiotics are also employed by some physicians to prevent post-operative infection despite the potential for antibiotic resistance. Benzoyl peroxide, known for its high threshold for antibiotic resistance, has been successfully used in orthopedic surgery to prevent surgical site infection, especially in sebaceous areas of the skin which house a distinct microbiota.
Limitations:
Limitations to this review include lack of high-quality, adequately powered research and studies which evaluate the clinical impact of anti-septic use, particularly benzoyl peroxide use, in dermatologic surgery.
Conclusion:
Benzoyl peroxide may be a used as an antiseptic in dermatologic surgery of sebaceous areas to prevent post-operative infections, with a low likelihood of causing microbial resistance.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Hand hygiene
Hand washing...
01:18Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
01:28Asepsis
01:30Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
01:19Handwashing II: Pre-procedure and Initial Procedure Steps
The hand washing procedure itself includes the following steps. First, cover cuts, if any, on hands with a waterproof dressing. Cuts and abrasions can become contaminated with bacteria hindering the ability to clean the area thoroughly. In addition, repeated hand washing can worsen an injury. The nails must be short and clean, without nail...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...