Comparative Analysis of Single-Dose and Multiple-Dose Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Preventing Surgical Site Infections

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common complication affecting ~1 in 24 patients undergoing inpatient surgery in the US.
• Despite advancements, SSIs significantly impact surgical outcomes.
• Prophylactic antibiotic administration is crucial for SSI reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of single-dose versus multiple-dose antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing SSIs.
• To evaluate SSI rates in clean and clean-contaminated surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, comparative study of 80 patients undergoing general surgery.
• Random assignment to single-dose (pre-op) or multiple-dose (pre-op and pre-op) antibiotic prophylaxis.
• Postoperative monitoring for SSI signs and wound swab cultures.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in SSI rates between single-dose and multiple-dose prophylaxis groups.
• Comparable wound infection rates and clinical parameters observed in both groups.
• Chi-square and independent sample t-tests confirmed no significant difference (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis is as effective as multiple doses for preventing SSIs in clean/clean-contaminated procedures.
• Single-dose prophylaxis offers a simplified protocol.
• This approach may help reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.