PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTIC USE IN CLEAN, UNCONTAMINATED NECK DISSECTION

A recent report in the literature cites a 10% wound infection rate for clean, uncontaminated neck dissections in patients who did not receiv e antibiotic prophylaxis as compared with a 3.3% infection rate in pat ients who received prophylactic antibiotics. Although a trend favoring antibiotic prophylaxis was identified, the duration of therapy was no t considered, The present analysis addresses this issue. The authors r etrospectively reviewed the records of 120 patients who underwent clea n, uncontaminated neck dissections over a 3-year period (July 1989 thr ough May 1992) for variables related to wound infections. Radiation th erapy had previously been used in 70% of these patients. Group 1 (31 p atients) received 24 hours of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, an d group 2 (89 patients) received antibiotic prophylaxis until the suct ion drains were removed (usually 4 or 5 days after surgery), No periop erative wound infections occurred in either group. The authors conclud ed that perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for 24 hours is sufficien t to prevent wound infections in clean, uncontaminated neck dissection s.