Prophylactic antibiotics in thyroid surgery

ABSTRACT

A study of 100 parents for evaluation of the role of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing postoperative infections in thyroid surgery was carried out in Surgical Unit I, Rawalpindi General Hospital from August, 1990 to May, 1992. The study revealed a surgical wound infection rate of 4% in parents given a prophylactic antibiotic and 14% in the group without prophylactic antibiotic. This was accompanied by a longer hospital stay. Infection at the drain insertion site was nil with the use of prophylactic antibiotics where it was 8% in the second group