title: Chemoprophylaxis in the surgical ward: results of a national survey in Italy.
abstract: As part of a national program for the control of hospital acquired infections, a survey on the use of antibiotic chemoprophylaxis was conducted in 1050 public hospitals in Italy (95% of the total number of hospitals in the country). In each hospital, the chief of the general surgery ward was interviewed by means of a standard mail questionnaire. Answers were obtained from 479 surgeons (45.6%) after two mailings. More than 60% of these reported that they used chemoprophylaxis in clean surgery (mastectomy, splenectomy, hernioplasty). More than 80% used antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery in which antimicrobial prophylaxis is facultative (i.e. elective cholecystectomy, gastric resection), and 97.1% used antibiotic prophylaxis in large bowel surgery. The authors recorded starting times and duration of chemoprophylaxis. Cephalosporins were found to be the most commonly used antibiotics followed by penicillin.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Chirurgica, Università degli Studi, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mozzillo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pescini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Formato
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000601:surgery; D007558:Italy; D011292:Premedication; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents