title: Routine bile cultures during elective cholecystectomy.
abstract: To assess antibiotic usage and the value of routine intraoperative bile cultures, we retrospectively reviewed 79 patients who had elective cholecystectomy from January to December 1986. Forty patients (57%) received perioperative antibiotics, and 15 (19%) had positive intraoperative bile cultures. During follow-up, the only septic complications identified were wound infections in two patients (3%); one of them had received antibiotics and one had not. Each bile culture cost $60 to $80, and the cultures were not clinically useful. In the absence of risk factors associated with positive bile cultures, the incidence of wound infections or septic complications after cholecystectomy is low. We conclude that routine intraoperative bile cultures and prophylactic antibiotics are not indicated for elective cholecystectomy in low-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Tex 78236.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cull
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Beck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents