Communication and adherence to prophylactic antibiotic guidelines in patients with a proximal femoral fracture.

摘要

Prophylactic antibiotics reduce surgical site infection. Their administration is directed by local guidelines. Guidelines are followed poorly when they, are unclear, inadequately distributed, communication between relevant specialties is deficient and audit and feedback is lacking.4 This study describes the adherence to guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery for proximal femoral fracture and the impact of improving awareness of them among surgeons.In autumn 2008, new guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis were introduced and published online in an extensive document for universal use. The aim of the guidelines was to narrow the spectrum of antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of Clos-tridium difficile infections by avoiding cefuroxirne and targeting meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with teicopla-nin. Over the two months following this, the antibiotic prophylaxis prescribed to 80 patients who had undergone surgery for proximal femoral fracture was reviewed.