title: Antibiotic prophylaxis in thyroid surgery: a preliminary multicentric Italian experience.
abstract: Post-operatory wound infections are a very uncommon finding after thyroidectomy. For these reasons international guidelines do not routinely recommend systemic antibiotic prophylaxis. The benefits of this antibiotic prophylaxis is not supported by clinical evidence in the literature. We have conducted a multicentric randomized double-blind trial on 500 patients who had undergone thyroidectomy for goitre or thyroid carcinoma. The 500 patients enrolled in the study (mean age 47 years) were randomized in two subgroups of 250 patients. 250 patients were treated with standard antibiotic prophylaxis with sulbactam/ampicillin 1 fl (3 gr.) 30 min before surgery. No antibiotic prophylaxis was instituted in the remainder 250 patients. Our RCT showed that prophylactic antibiotic treatment is not beneficial in patients younger than eighty years old, with no concomitant metabolic, infective and hematologic disease, with no cardiac valvulopathies, not under steroidal or immunosuppressive treatment, and not severely obese. Our study should be regarded only as a preliminary RCT, and should be followed by a study in which a larger number of patients should be enrolled so that statistically significant data can be obtained.
authors: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Avenia
authors: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Sanguinetti
authors: General Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Cirocchi
authors: General Surgical Unit, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Docimo
authors: Thoracic Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Ragusa
authors: General Surgical Unit, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Ruggiero
authors: General Surgical Unit, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors: Eugenio
authors: E
authors: Procaccini
authors: General Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Boselli
authors: Endocrine Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: D'Ajello
authors: General Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Barberini
authors: General Surgical Unit, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Parmeggiani
authors: Endocrine Surgical Unit, ASL9-H of Ivrea (Torino), Italy.
authors: Lodovico
authors: L
authors: Rosato
authors: General Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Sciannameo
authors: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni", University of Rome, Italy.
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: De Toma
authors: General Surgical Unit, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Noya