Dr. Sweet, co-founder of Rockford (Ill.) Spine Center, plans to avoid prescribing any antibiotics before surgery. Instead, his new prep involves dropping a powder antibiotic into the wound during surgery. This method drops the infection rate from 2.4 percent to 0.2 percent, according to Dr. Sweet.
“We’re starting to get to the upper limit where we’re not seeing the new antibiotics come out,” Dr. Sweet said to WIFR news. “We’re reaching a plateau at our scientific ability to develop new antibiotics faster than the bugs are becoming resistant so it’s becoming a crisis.”
Dr. Sweet hopes to complete a study involving the new technique by spring 2015, according to the report.
More articles on spine:
Anterior lumbar spine surgery with BMP — 6 findings on complications
To robot or not? 15 key thoughts from spine surgeons
Harrisburg Medical Center to open new spine surgery unit
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