PERIOPERATIVE ANTIBIOTIC-PROPHYLAXIS IN M AXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

In surgical interventions in the maxillofacial area the intraoral appr oach often is chosen for technical and esthetic reasons. Because of th e inevitable contamination of the surgical wounds with the facultative pathogenic mixed flora of the oral cavity, these operations are expos ed to an increased risk of postoperative wound infections. Therefore, a perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis is justified. In a prospective, controlled open study in 112 patients the effect of a preoperative on e-shot prophylaxis with cefuroxime was compared with that of a short-t erm prophylaxis for 48 hours. The low rates of postoperative infectiou s complications in both groups (3.5 resp. 4.5%) verify the efficacy of the perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in head and neck surgery. Fo r microbiological, practical and economic aspects however, the one-sho t-prophylaxis should be preferred.