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Numerous studies have documented the benefits of prophylactic antibiotics to limit infectious morbidity in women undergoing high-risk surgical procedures. But how often is prophylaxis used correctly? To answer this question, investigators analyzed a voluntary database of information from >500 U.S. hospitals encompassing gynecologic procedures in >1 million women from 2003 to 2010.
Antibiotics were used appropriately in 87% of 545,000 procedures for which these agents are recommended (e.g., hysterectomy by any route); however, 11% of such procedures involved no prophylaxis and 2% involved non-guideline-recommended antibiotics. Use of prophylactic antibiotics for hysterectomy rose significantly during the study period. Prophylactic antibiotics…