title: Antibiotic prophylaxis for patients undergoing breast surgery.
abstract: Some groups of patients undergoing clean surgery benefit from the provision of antibiotic prophylaxis against wound infection. Breast surgery may belong to this category because several substantial studies have reported that it is accompanied by an unacceptably high rate of wound infection. However, only two clinical trials have addressed this issue and both produced equivocal results. Resolution of this problem is important because, aside from the usual advantages obtained by preventing such complications, wound infection diminishes the proportion of patients with breast cancer who start adjuvant regimens within an optimum time after surgery.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia, Australia. jchall@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*