Prophylactic Topical Use of Antibiotics in Surgical Wounds: A Controlled Clinical Trial Using “Polybactrin”

Update on the Use of Antibiotics in Cutaneous Surgery

“…Arguments for this are based on several studies, most of them from the 1960s and 1970s, showing decreased wound infection rates and healing time. [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] These were based on several different wounding models and real-life scenarios that do not necessarily correlate with routine dermatologic postoperative settings. The infection rates in these studies ranged from 12 to 40% before treatment.…”

“…The use of topical antibiotics by dermatologists postoperatively is routine in many practices. Arguments for this are based on several studies, most of them from the 1960s and 1970s, showing decreased wound infection rates and healing time 27–34. These were based on several different wounding models and real‐life scenarios that do not necessarily correlate with routine dermatologic postoperative settings.…”

Wound Healing: A Review: II. Environmental Factors Affecting Wound Healing

“…It is possible that the ointment base alone, which provides some degree of occlusion, is as helpful to healing wounds as is the antibiotic ingredient. Some controlled studies by various groups have shown lower rates of infection when topical antimicrobials are used prophylactically for controlling septic complications of venous cutdowns,16 sutured surgical wounds,17,18 and open, granulating wounds 19. Other studies have failed to demonstrate significant decreases in rate of infection when topical antibiotics were used in surgical wounds 20…”