Critically Evaluating the Role for Postoperative Antibiotics in Patients Undergoing Urethroplasty With Buccal Mucosa Graft: A Claims Database Analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesTo compare outcomes among patients undergoing first-time urethroplasty with buccal mucosa graft (BMG) who receive post-operative antibiotics versus those who do not. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX claims database between 2008-2022. Using CPT, ICD10, and LOINC codes, patients >18 years old undergoing primary urethroplasty with BMG who received an outpatient prescription for antibiotics between post-operative day 0-30 or did not were queried. Patients with positive pre-operative urine culture or urinary tract infection (UTI) within 30 days pre-operatively were excluded. Surgical outcomes included 5-year revision rates and revision-free survival. Safety outcomes included new UTI within 30 days, surgical site infection (SSI) within 90 days, or Clostridium difficile infection within 30 days of urethroplasty. ResultsWe identified 884 patients (81% antibiotic cohort, 19% non-antibiotic cohort) that met inclusion criteria. Age at time of urethroplasty, suprapubic tube presence, and pre-existing medical comorbidities were comparable between cohorts (Table 1A). There was no difference in 5-year rates and revision-free survival for endoscopic revision (11.5% vs. 9.5%, RR 1.2, 95% CI [0.7, 2.0], RFS log-rank p=0.6), re-do urethroplasty (12.9% vs. 13.7%, RR 0.9, 95% CI [0.6, 1.5], RFS log-rank p=0.7), or all-cause revision (19.8% vs. 17.7%, RR 1.1, 95% CI [0.8, 1.6], p=0.5) between groups. Post-operative rates of UTI, SSI, and Clostridium difficile infection were similar between groups. ConclusionsIn this large retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing urethroplasty with BMG, we observed no significant benefit from use of post-operative antibiotics on long-term revision rates or perioperative infectious complications.