Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
11:19

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation

Published on: January 17, 2011

18.3K

Antibiotic prophylaxis in pediatric surgery: when more is not better-or safer

Philip K W Hong1, Rachel Raymond2, Cristina Crippen1

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Pediatric Surgery International
|January 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Appropriate antibiotic use in pediatric surgery is vital. Undertreatment of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) increases infection risks, while overtreatment may reduce urinary tract infections but requires careful antibiotic selection.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance poses a significant public health challenge.
  • Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) is essential for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs).
  • Inappropriate SAP use can lead to adverse outcomes and contribute to resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) appropriateness on postoperative infections in pediatric surgery.
  • To compare the outcomes of beta-lactam versus non-beta-lactam antibiotic use in pediatric surgical patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort analysis of ACS NSQIP Pediatric data (2021-2023).
  • Exclusion criteria: preexisting infections, malignancy, immunodeficiencies, emergent surgeries.
  • Logistic regression used to assess the association between SAP appropriateness and postoperative infections.

Main Results:

  • Undertreatment of SAP was associated with increased odds of SSI, sepsis, C. difficile colitis, and urinary tract infection (UTI).
  • Overtreatment of SAP was linked to decreased odds of UTI.
  • Non-beta-lactam antibiotics showed higher odds of pneumonia compared to beta-lactam antibiotics.

Conclusions:

  • Appropriate surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) is critical for minimizing postoperative infections in pediatric surgery.
  • Antibiotic selection is a key factor in managing outcomes for pediatric surgical patients.
  • Adherence to guidelines for SAP is essential for patient safety and combating antibiotic resistance.
Abstract

Keywords:
InfectionPostoperative infectionsStewardshipSurgerySurgical site infections

More Related Videos

Povidone Iodine Rectal Preparation at Time of Prostate Needle Biopsy is a Simple and Reproducible Means to Reduce Risk of Procedural Infection05:32

Povidone Iodine Rectal Preparation at Time of Prostate Needle Biopsy is a Simple and Reproducible Means to Reduce Risk of Procedural Infection

Published on: September 21, 2015

33.6K
Anesthesia and Intubation of Preadolescent Mouse Pups for Cardiothoracic Surgery09:47

Anesthesia and Intubation of Preadolescent Mouse Pups for Cardiothoracic Surgery

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.7K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
201
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence01:22

Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence

Generic intravenous (IV) drugs are considered bioequivalent to their branded counterparts due to their 100% bioavailability upon administration. However, variations in stability among different drug products can significantly influence their therapeutic performance, even if they are pharmaceutically equivalent.Cefuroxime, a prophylactic antimicrobial, is often used as a single-dose IV injection for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. A 3 g dose typically provides...
172
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
239
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
249
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
185
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
241