In July 2014, Wichita, Kan.-based Wesley Medical Center halted use of mandatory postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, according to Renal & Urology News. Instead, individual physicians decided whether to give patients postop antibiotics.
Researchers then compared the number of surgical site infections of Clostridium difficile in patients who received postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis to patients who did not receive the antibiotics. The study included 905 patients receiving antibiotics and 697 patients not receiving antibiotics.
Here are five notes:
1. Researchers found a 1.1 percent surgical site infection rate in both groups.
2. The study revealed 39 cases of hospital-acquired C. difficile during the time period.
3. Within the antibiotic group undergoing surgery, there were 15 C. difficile cases.
4. Within the non-antibiotic group undergoing surgery, there were 11 C. difficile cases.
5. Researchers concluded no benefits exist in "continuing antibiotic prophylaxis postoperatively."
