The Duration of Postoperative Antibiotics in Autologous Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Although prophylactic antibiotic use following autologous breast reconstruction post-mastectomy is a common practice, there is no consensus in the literature regarding its duration. Antibiotic stewardship is important to minimise multi-resistant organisms as well as mitigate the associated side effects. Currently, there are no published guidelines regarding the duration of prophylactic antibiotics in autologous breast reconstruction surgery following mastectomy. The authors searched the online literature regarding the administration of antibiotics for autologous breast reconstruction surgery post-mastectomy. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs). Three studies met the inclusion criteria and included a total of 1,400 patients. Overall, 101 (7.2%) SSIs were observed. There was no significant difference in the rate of SSIs when comparing the use of antibiotics for less than or longer than 24 hours postoperatively (odds ratio = 1.434, p = 0.124). There is no significant difference between SSIs with the use of antibiotics for longer than 24 hours when compared to less than 24 hours. Further studies in the form of randomised controlled trials are required to assess the effects of prophylactic antibiotic duration in autologous breast reconstruction following mastectomy.

Evaluating the Efficacy of a Novel Side-Support Surgical Tray Stand for Endoscopic Transnasal Skull Base Surgery: A Prospective Study

“…Protecting the harvested autologous tissue from contamination is crucial for reducing the risk of intracranial infections and improving tissue survival, as free autologous tissues inherently have limited infection resistance [18][19]. Compared to conventional tray stands, the new side-support tray stand significantly reduces the occurrence of postoperative intracranial infections in patients undergoing endoscopic transnasal skull base surgery.…”