Single-center retrospective review of 8,850 clean, elective outpatient hand surgery cases examining whether preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis reduces surgical site infection (SSI) rates, and identifying which patient or procedural factors independently predict SSI development.
When scheduling a clean, elective hand case, this series of nearly 9,000 patients tells you routine antibiotic prophylaxis adds no protection — even in smokers and diabetics.
Flag those high-risk patients for closer postoperative wound surveillance instead, and counsel them that their baseline biology (not antibiotic omission) is driving their elevated risk.
Single-center retrospective review of 8,850 clean, elective outpatient hand surgery cases examining whether preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis reduces surgical site infection (SSI) rates, and identifying which patient or procedural factors independently predict SSI development.
When scheduling a clean, elective hand case, this series of nearly 9,000 patients tells you routine antibiotic prophylaxis adds no protection — even in smokers and diabetics.
Flag those high-risk patients for closer postoperative wound surveillance instead, and counsel them that their baseline biology (not antibiotic omission) is driving their elevated risk.