A Quality Improvement Initiative to Optimize Perioperative Clinical Outcomes for Patients Labelled Penicillin Allergic

Abstract

Patients labelled as penicillin allergic are less likely to receive first line antibiotics in the perioperative setting and are therefore at increased risk for surgical site infections. Cefazolin is the typically preferred perioperative antibiotic with clindamycin often used as an alternative due to allergy concerns. Due to its unique side chain, true cross reactivity between penicillin and cefazolin is exceedingly rare.