ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2003; 20 (2): 143-149

Review article

Antimicrobial  Prophylaxis  in  Surgical  Patients

Marjanović Vesna¹, Milićević Ružica¹, Marjanović Goran², Budić Ivana¹, Novaković Dejan¹, Marjanović Bojan³.

¹ Department of Child Surgery and Orthopedics CC Nis

² Department of Hematology CC Nis

³ Department of General Surgery CC Nis

Authors address

26/7 Sinđelicev trg, 18000 Nis

tel:  510160

e-mail: goranves@eunet.yu

            Summary

Nowadays antimicrobial prophylaxis represents a unique approach for reducing the incidence of wound infection associated with surgical procedures.  Recommendations for antimicrobial prophylaxis may be specific according to type of the procedure, causative agents, schedules and drug doses. It is important to note optimal timing of drug administration, and the optimal duration of prophylaxis in order to adjust maximal drug concentration in tissues that probably might be contaminated during the surgery. Currently it is recommended to receive antimicrobial prophylaxis at anesthesia induction as a short course that should have duration from 12-24 hours, while postoperative prophylaxis proved to be infective. The best route of administration is parenteral, while other routes are not so common. It is important to weigh costs of treatment of patients with developed postoperative wound infection who did not receive any prophylaxis, against cost and morbidity of patients who had received antimicrobial prophylaxis.

key words:  infection, antimicrobial prophylaxis, procedure.