ANTIBIOTICS IN MOHS MICROGRAPHIC SURGERY: STRATEGIES FOR PROPHYLAXIS AND EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION

Course overview

THE RATES OF CUTANEOUS INFECTION IN MOHS MICROGRAPHIC SURGERY ARE GENERALLY LOW. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SPECIFIC INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN CERTAIN CASES. PREOPERATIVE OR PERIOPERATIVE ANTIBIOTICS ARE COMMONLY PRESCRIBED FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ENDOCARDITIS AND PROSTHETIC JOINT INFECTION. IN SOME SITUATIONS, POSTOPERATIVE ANTIBIOTICS MAY BE GIVEN TO PATIENTS WITH SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS FOR SURGICAL SITE INFECTION. IN 2008, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR CUTANEOUS SURGERY, WHICH REMAIN THE MOST CURRENT GUIDELINES TO DATE. THIS ACTIVITY AIMS TO REVIEW THESE GUIDELINES AND EMPHASIZE THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN PREVENTING ADVERSE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIBIOTIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CUTANEOUS SURGERY.