Prophylactic antibiotics in soft-tissue procedures in children with cerebral palsy

PURPOSE: Data on the benefits of perioperative prophylactic antibiotics in the paediatric population are lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess the rate of infection after isolated soft-tissue procedures in patients with cerebral palsy with and without preoperative prophylactic antibiotics between 2009 and 2015. METHODS: We reviewed the records of all children with cerebral palsy who underwent isolated soft-tissue procedures (on the upper and lower limb) at our hospital between 2009 and 2015. Children with at least 30-day postoperative follow-up were included. Children who had groin incisions were excluded. RESULTS: Two groups were identified: the antibiotic group (77 children with 203 incisions and 343 procedures) had one surgical site infection; the no-antibiotic group (48 children with 102 incisions and 177 procedures) had no surgical site infections. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the use of preoperative antibiotics does not change the rate of postoperative surgical site infections. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III therapeutic study