DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i04.038

Pages: 1340-1346

Postoperative wound infection is a common problem in hospitalized patients. Various measures have been advocated to limit or prevent the post operative wound sepsis. To overcome this burning problem one such tool is use of prophylactic antibiotic therapy. The study was carried out to assess the role of prophylactic and therapeutic use of antibiotics in open surgical procedures to prevent wound infection following surgery. Total 1540 operated cases were included in the study. They were grouped in 3 categories like clean, clean-contaminated and contaminated cases group. The different antibiotics were used in 8 groups. Patients were observed till discharge from the hospital. In this study we found that in clean and clean-contaminated surgery where prophylactic antibiotics were used the infection rate was less as compared to cases where only therapeutic antibiotics were used. The use of prophylactic antibiotics is effective tool in preventing postoperative wound infection in open surgical procedures. Antibiotic administration can reduce the incidence of postoperative wound infection where there is high likelihood of infection.