Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis – The evidence and understanding its impact on consensus guidelines

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections are complications of surgical care that may be prevented with appropriate surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP). SAP is the most common indication for antimicrobial use in Australian hospitals; however, it is associated with high rates of inappropriate use. Inappropriate SAP is associated with adverse consequences for both the patient and the community. The underlying reasons for inappropriate use, however, are not well delineated. Potential factors include the quality of the evidence base regarding SAP use and available guidelines. Methods: The literature review focused on research classified as having Level 1 evidence according to the National Health an..