Prophylactic antibiotics and Post operative surgical wound Infection

Abstract

Introduction Post operative wound infection has been the greatest obstacle to advancement of surgery down the centuries. Lister introduced antiseptic methods for safe surgery. The advent of antibiotics did raise the hope of a permanent solution to this problem but later it has become the nightmare of the surgeon. Many considered and still now consider antibiotic as ―wonder drug‖ which could cover their lapses in surgical technique and asepsis. Over reliance on antibiotics led to their extensive and often indiscriminate use resulting into development of resistance by various organisms and the problem of ―Hospital Infection‖ has boomeranged on us. Antibacterial agents administered as early as three hours after experimental contamination of wound, have no influence on the infection rate of the operative wounds. If the body already has adequate antibiotic concentration at the time of contamination, infection can be adequately prevented.