ABSTRACT

Background: Drug resistance is generated by the excessive and uncontrolled use of antibiotics. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effectiveness perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis of short course against long term administration of surgical site infection preventive antibiotics.

Material and method: This prospective study was conducted in the department of orthopedic of King Khalid Hospital, Majmaah from February 2019 to November 2020. Informed written consent were taken from the patients who underwent through elective orthopedic surgery and ethics committee approval was taken from the institute. Clinically diagnosed surgical wound were completely examined. Pus samples were collected and transported in transport medium to the microbiology department immediately for further processing of specimens (culture, identification and antimicrobial sensitivity) by standard microbiological methods. SPSS version 20.0 with 95% confidence interval was used for analysis of result.

Result: Total 200 patients were included in this study among them 100 was in Group I from 10-70 years age and 100 were in Group II from 7-70 years age. Demographical characteristics and other predisposing factors like smoking and diabetes were found non-significantly statistically. Among 200 patients 142 (71.0%), 51 (25.5%) and 7 (3.5%) underwent spinal anesthesia, general anesthesia and epidural anesthesia respectively. only 8 (4%) patients developed surgical site infection and culture showed growth of staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli spp.

Conclusion: Short course of perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis for prevention of infections in elective orthopedic surgeries can shorten hospitalization, post-operative morbidity and unnecessary usage of long term antibiotics which also decreases the chance of antibiotic resistance in elective orthopedic surgery. There is paucity of data in different region of the country, needs more study on short term prophylaxis if it is to be substantiated.

Key words: orthopedic, surgery, prophylaxis, surgical site infection, antibiotic, fracture, short course