ROLE OF PERIOPERATIVE ANTIBIOTICS IN ELECTIVE LOW RISK CHOLECYSTECTOMIES IN PREVENTION OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS

BACKGROUND Cholecystectomy is the universally accepted method to manage symptomatic uncomplicated cholelithiasis and other benign gallbladder diseases, because it can cure the disease and has low morbidity and mortality. The most frequent complication in patients undergoing cholecystectomy is surgical site infection. Cholecystectomy is considered clean-contaminated if the biliary tract is entered without significant spillage during the procedure. Some randomised clinical trials have confirmed that antibiotic prophylaxis in open cholecystectomy is decreasing the risk of surgical site infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS Randomised studies have failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of routinely administered perioperative antibiotics on SSI in these low and moderate risk groups and there is growing consensus against it. Many authors believe that antibiotic prophylaxis may not be necessary for low-risk patients undergoing elective cholecystectomies. RESULTS The present study was aimed to observe if antibiotic prophylaxis is necessary to prevent SSIs in the patients undergoing elective below-risk cholecystectomies. CONCLUSION Our study found no significant difference in the rates of SSI in low-risk laparoscopic cholecystectomies with or without the use of perioperative antibiotics.