Spine surgery antibiotics — How long is appropriate with the drain? 5 key notes

Spine

A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery examines whether 24-hour antibiotic prophylaxis after spine surgery is appropriate in cases where a drain is used.

There were 314 patients involved in a multilevel thoracolumbar spine surgery where a drain was used postoperatively. The patients either received antibiotics for 24 hours after surgery or antibiotics for the entire time the drain was in place.

 

The researchers found:

 

1. Among the patients who had antibiotics for 24 hours after surgery, 12.4 percent reported surgical site infection.

 

2. There were 13.2 percent of the patients who had surgical site infections in the group that had antibiotics for the entire time the drain was used.

 

3. There weren't significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two groups, and both groups had similar operative time, drain output and length of stay.

 

4. The researchers concluded, "Continuing perioperative administration of antibiotics for the entire duration that a drain is in place after spinal surgery did not decrease the rate of surgical site infection."

 

5. There are worse outcomes and higher costs associated with patients who have surgical site infection and need additional care.

 

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