Adverse financial and clinical burden of the use of prophylactic antibiotics in neurosurgical patients

Abstract

BackgroundCurrent guidance does not support the administration of prophylactic antibiotics in non-infected post-operative surgical cases including neurosurgery. Materials and methodsThis paper is a qualitative assessment, highlighting the economic cost of excessive antimicrobial prescription and the healthcare costs of the extra days of admission in hospital. ResultsOne hundred and one neurosurgical cases were analysed in a single institution over a one-year period. The additional course of post-operative antibiotics has a cost of £56.72 and receiving prolonged post-operative antibiotics added on average £1121.10 to their admission bill. Up to 13.4 patients may have experienced an adverse drug event. ConclusionThis paper reinforces the adherence to guidelines can aid in the reduction of adverse drug events, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs associated with unnecessary drug prescriptions and administration.