Current Recommendations on Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis

Abstract

Being the most common nosocomial infections among hospitalized surgical patients, surgical site infections (SSIs) are also the third most common nosocomial infection among all hospitalized patients. These infections result in consumption of more antibiotics, an increase in the cost of care, and a prolongation of hospital stay. Antimicrobial prophylaxis is one of the most effective methods used in preventing SSIs. It is known that incorrect indication, incorrect application time of the antimicrobial drugs, unnecessarily long term application, and incorrect drug selection are some of the mistakes made during the application of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis. In this review, epidemiological findings and risk factors of SSIs and surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis are discussed in the light of current guidelines.