title: A survey of American College of Surgery fellows evaluating their use of antibiotic prophylaxis in the placement of subcutaneously implanted central venous access ports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, there is no standard of care for prophylactic antibiotics (PABX) at the time of placement of fully implanted central venous access ports (CVAPs). A survey of fellows of the American College of Surgeons was undertaken to determine the current practice pattern of PABX in CVAP placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was mailed to 5,000 fellows of the American College of Surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 21.7%, with 73.1% of respondents nonacademic surgeons. PABX were given by 88.2% of the respondents. Of those who did not use PABX, the primary reasons were "not justified" or "not standard of care." General comments regarding reasons for use of PABX included "medicolegal," "required by hospital," and "liability."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this survey, the overwhelming majority of responding American College of Surgeons fellows indicated that they use preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis for CVAP placement, despite there being no accepted standard of care or definitive evidence regarding PABX use for fully implanted CVAPs.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Surgery, 30 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
authors.forename: Edward T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mone
authors.forename: Heidi J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Edward W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Courtney L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Scaife
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013350:Subclavian Vein; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: American College of Surgery fellows; Implanted central venous access ports; Port-A-Cath; Prophylactic antibiotics; Survey