Prophylactic Antibiotics in Appendicitis—Are We Getting the Timing Right?

Abstract

Background. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommends that prophylactic antibiotics (PAs) be administered within 30–60 minutes of skin incision to achieve adequate therapeutic levels and reduce the risk of postoperative surgical site infection (SSI). Preoperative checklists can ensure appropriate PAs are ordered. We measured the compliance of pediatric surgeons with the IDSA recommendations regarding the timing of administration of PAs.Methods. We conducted a retrospective chart review with Research Ethics Board Approval (REB14-1733) of all children who underwent appendectomy at our institution from November 2014 to March 2015. Patient outcomes and compliance with IDSA recommendations were analyzed.