Post-operative infection following hand surgery. Guidelines for antibiotic use.
An audit was designed to analyse the risk factors for developing post-operative wound infection following hand surgery. 249 consecutive patients were prospectively entered into the study. 236 (95%) patients were available for follow-up. Infection was diagnosed by clinical criteria. There was an infection rate of 10.7% in elective operations and 9.7% in emergency operations. There was no significant reduction in infection rate in the elective group with the use of antibiotics (P = 0.5). In the emergency group of patients peri-operative antibiotic administration was associated with an 8.5-fold reduction in infection rate (P = 0.014). The presence of a dirty wound was associated with a 13.4-fold increase in post-operative wound infection rate (P = 0.002). A postal questionnaire of members of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand revealed a wide variation in antibiotic usage. Guidelines for antibiotic use in patients undergoing hand surgery are presented.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
A J
AJ
Platt
R E
RE
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents