Antibiotics more than 24 hours after surgery a 'waste'
Extended-course prophylaxis is associated with a higher risk of adverse events: study
4th June 2019
Antibiotics given prophylactically for 24 hours or less are as effective as those given for 72 hours for preventing infections following ENT or oral and maxillofacial surgery, a review shows.
Most guidelines favour short-course postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis over prolonged prophylaxis, because little or no additional anti-infective benefits have been seen in lengthier regimens, the authors note.
There is little evidence, however, on the postoperative use of antimicrobial prophylaxis in ENT and oral and maxillofacial surgery, they write in JAMA Otolaryngology