title: Short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery. The state of the art.
abstract: The authors pointed out that contamination may be exogenous, as a result of invasive diagnostic techniques, patient preparation, surgery, catheter insertion and wound dressing, or endogenous, especially in patients with specific risk factors (age, metabolic disorder, malnutrition, immunodeficiency) and aspecific risk factors (anesthesia, blood transfusion, surgery). Pharmacologic prophylaxis of infection may be unspecific (artificial nutrients, anticoagulants, immunomodulators) or specific (antibiotics). Prophylaxis is indicated in clean-contaminated and contaminated surgery; antibiotic chemoprophylaxis is also indicated in risk patients and permanent prosthesis surgery. The authors emphasized that antibiotics are no substitution for careful surgery.
authors.affiliation: Institute for General Surgery and Surgical Therapy, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodolico
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puleo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cataldo
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007769:Lactams; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011292:Premedication; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007769:Lactams