01/19/2018    

RELEVANT RESEARCH

Surgical Site Infections Post Lower Limb Implant Removal Not Reduced with Cefazolin

 

A single pre-operative dose of IV cefazolin did not reduce the risk of surgical site infection within 30 days following removal of orthopedic implants used for treatment of fractures below the knee compared with saline, according to results published in JAMA.

 

Tim Schepers, MD, PhD, and colleagues randomly assigned 500 patients with previous surgical treatment for fractures below the knee and who were undergoing removal of orthopedic implants to receive either a single pre-operative IV dose of cefazolin or sodium chloride. The primary outcome measure was surgical site infection (SSI) within 30 days as measured by the criteria from the CDC, while secondary outcome measures included functional outcome, health-related quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

 

Source: Case Tingle, helio.com [1/16/18]