Effectiveness of Postoperative Antibiotics in Orthognathic Surgery: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review of published clinical trials on the effectiveness of extended postoperative antibiotics in orthognathic surgery. Materials and Methods: Electronic databases were searched for randomized clinical trials. Data from relevant articles were extracted and assessed. The primary outcome variable was surgical site infection. Extracted data were analyzed using a meta-analytical program with a random effects model. Results: In total 532 patients were assessed in 8 clinical trials. Wound infection occurred in 30 of 268 patients in the short-term prophylaxis group (frequency, 11.2%) and in 10 of 264 patients in the extended-term group (frequency, 3.8%). Extended antibiotic therapy was more effective in decreasing the risk of postoperative wound infection (odds ratio, 3.2; number needed to treat, 13.5). Conclusion: Extended postoperative antibiotic treatment does have a place in decreasing the risk of postoperative wound infection in orthognathic surgery. More trials are needed to standardize a proper regimen. (C) 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons J Oral Maxillofac Surg 69:2650-2656, 2011