title: Topical antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of surgical wound infections from dermatologic procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Topical antibiotics are not indicated for postsurgical wound infection prophylaxis in clean and clean-contaminated dermatologic surgeries, yet many dermatologists continue to prescribe them. The objective of our systematic review and meta-analysis was to critically assess the efficacy of topical antibiotics in terms of preventing postsurgical wound infections in the dermatology outpatient setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, Embase, MD Consult, Science Direct, Springer Link, DynaMed and Cochrane online medical databases were searched from 1980 to 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using random effects modeling, the pooled odds ratio of developing a postsurgical wound infection was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.42-1.19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pooled data of the four trials in the meta-analysis did not show a statistically significant difference in incidence of postsurgical wound infections between topical antibiotics and petrolatum/paraffin. In the setting of moist occlusive dressings, there is no statistically significant difference in prophylactic efficacy between applying and not applying ointment to surgical wounds. Wounds at increased risk of developing surgical site infections include wounds in diabetics, wounds located in certain anatomic regions, and wounds created by some surgical procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Petrolatum should be used instead of topical antibiotics as a prophylactic measure to prevent postsurgical wound infections in the outpatient dermatologic setting.
authors.affiliation: Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida , Tampa, FL , USA .
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saco
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nathoo
authors.forename: Basil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cherpelis
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Mohs surgery; petrolatum; postsurgical