Post-operative antibiotic use in nonperforated appendicitis.
BACKGROUND
The appropriate use of preoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis has been shown to decrease the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). The benefits of postoperative courses of antibiotics in these patients, however, remain unclear.


METHODS
The authors retrospectively reviewed all cases of nonperforated appendicitis performed at their institution over a 10-year period from 1997 to 2007. Patient outcomes were evaluated to include the postoperative development of SSIs, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and Clostridium difficile infections.


RESULTS
A total of 763 patients who underwent appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis during the study period were identified. Five hundred seven of these patients had appropriate follow-up data and were the subjects of this study. Comparing patients who did and did not receive postoperative antibiotics, no significant differences in the rates of all SSIs (10% vs 9%, P = .64), superficial SSIs (9.3% vs 5.4%, P = .13), deep SSIs (.3% vs .5%, P = 1.0), organ space SSIs (2.8% vs 2.7%, P = .87), urinary tract infections (.6% vs .5%, P = 1.0), and diarrhea (2.5% vs 1.1%, P = .34) were found between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of postoperative antibiotics in patients with nonperforated appendicitis does not decrease the rate of SSIs, while it may increase the cost of care.
Le
Dinhkim
D
Department of Surgery, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Rusin
Wendy
W
Hill
Britani
B
Langell
John
J
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents