title: Are Breast Surgical Operations Clean or Clean Contaminated?
abstract: The breast surgeries are classically taught as clean surgical procedures. The infection rates following breast surgery ranges from 3 to 15 %, which is much higher than infection rates after clean surgery (ranging from 1.5 to 3 %). This high infection rate following breast surgery can be explained by opening of the ductal system to outside world through nipple similar to the gastrointestinal and genitourinary system. We conducted a systematic review of infection following breast surgeries. We searched various randomized controlled trials, meta-analysis, and Cochrane Reviews over PubMed and Medline via the Internet. These evidences were found to support the thesis, "Breast surgeries need to be reclassified as clean-contaminated". We recommend the use of prophylactic antibiotics in breast surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Disciplines, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029 India.
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kataria
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Disciplines, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029 India.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagdia
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Disciplines, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029 India.
authors.forename: Anurag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
keywords: Bacteria; Breast surgery; Clean contaminated; Milk ducts; Surgical site infection; Wound infection