title: Audit of antibiotic policy and wound infection in neck surgery.
abstract: Neck surgery on 100 consecutive patients in a unit with an established antibiotic policy was studied. An infection rate of 3% was recorded, comparing well with previously published studies. There were no major sequelae in the infected cases. A policy of no perioperative antibiotics for 'clean' surgery for benign disease, cefuroxime for 'clean' surgery for malignant disease and cefuroxime plus metronidazole for 'clean contaminated' surgery is vindicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Murdoch
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Telfer
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Irvine
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000592:standards*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011292:Premedication; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D002444:Cefuroxime