Fingertip Amputations with Bone Exposure Do Not Require Prophylactic Antibiotics

A small study finds no infections among patients managed surgically, with or without antibiotics.

While no prior research has informed the need for antibiotics among patients with distal fingertip amputations involving bone, current practice involves antibiotic administration. Investigators in Israel randomized 58 adult patients with fingertip amputations involving bone to receive intravenous cefazolin (1 g, 3 times per day for 3 days) or no antibiotics. All amputations were managed surgically in the operating room.

Follow-up data at 1 month were available for 56 patients. No patient in either group had an infection of the amputated fingertip.

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Fingertip Amputations with Bone Exposure Do Not Require Prophylactic Antibiotics

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Reviewing Author