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Prophylaxis for Wound Infections and Endocarditis

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Complications in Cutaneous Surgery

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Abstract

There are three instances when prophylactic antibiotics are indicated: prophylaxis for prevention of a sugical site infection (SSI), prevention of endocarditis, and prevention of prosthesis infection. Postoperative SSI are a serious complication in cutaneous surgery, and although some limited guidelines exist, many physicians are unaware of the proper use of antibiotics.1–3 Furthermore, the emergence of resistant bacteria makes the prudent use of antibiotics crucial. A thorough understanding of the various factors related to SSI prophylaxis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines pertaining to SSI prophylaxis, and proper antibiotic usage is vital to the practice of cutaneous surgery and will be discussed in this chapter. Treatment of definitive SSI is discussed in Chapter 5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Michelle Pipitone MD & Hugh M. Gloster Jr. MD (Associate Professor, Director of Dermatologic Surgery)

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  1. Michelle Pipitone MD
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  2. Hugh M. Gloster Jr. MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Hugh M. Gloster Jr. MD (Associate Professor and Director of Dermatologic Surgery) (Associate Professor and Director of Dermatologic Surgery)

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Pipitone, M., Gloster, H.M. (2008). Prophylaxis for Wound Infections and Endocarditis. In: Gloster, H.M. (eds) Complications in Cutaneous Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73152-0_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73152-0_6

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