title: Cost-effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in head and neck surgery.
abstract: Studies undertaken at the Eye and Ear Hospital of Pittsburgh indicate that antibiotic prophylaxis can reduce the incidence of patient morbidity. In this article we will demonstrate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on the economics of major head and neck surgery. One hundred and one patients were assigned to one of four treatment protocols, three of which entailed 1 day of a perioperative prophylactic antibiotic and the fourth a placebo. The study was conducted in a double-blind, randomized fashion. Patients receiving a placebo experienced an infection rate of 78%. Patients receiving cefazolin experienced an infection rate of 33%. Ten percent of patients treated with cefoperazone or cefotaxime developed postoperative wound infection. Postoperative hospitalization averaged 17.9 days for patients who did not develop postoperative wound infection, in contrast to an average of 32.6 days for patients with postoperative would infection. The added cost of postoperative infection justifies the added use of the newer, more expensive antibiotics in view of the reduced postoperative morbidity and postoperative hospitalization.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents