Surgeons' Perspectives on the Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics in Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: To understand how surgeons perceive surgical site infection and how this influences their clinical practice in order to improve patient care.

Study design: A cross-sectional study

Place and Duration: This study was conducted at Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences for Women (PUMHS-W) Nawabshah Pakistan from April 2019 to April 2020.

Methodology: A survey of general surgeons was conducted at our hospital and included those who undertake inguinal hernia surgeries.

Result: There were 81 responses from surgeons who did about 75 hernia repairs every year, mostly through open surgery. The study found 36 surgeons (44.4%) routinely avoid prophylactic antibiotic use, 40 surgeons (49.5%) selectively use antibiotics, and only five surgeons (6.2%) do not use antibiotics at all. The five surgeons not using antibiotics prophylactically claim that their infection rate is 1% and that they have never removed a mesh from a hernia site that was infected. A clear distinction could not be seen between individuals who used prophylactic antibiotics routinely and those who used them selectively since their mesh explanation experiences were comparable (56% vs 55% of those who had 2–10 meshes removed, respectively). The vast majority (77 percent) of surgeons believed that a new set of precise recommendations are necessary.

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, most surgeons use prophylactic antibiotics because they believe there is a possibility of surgical site infection or because they had personal experience with surgical site infection. It is necessary to develop new guidelines for using prophylactic antibiotics in the repair of inguinal hernia, as well as a new set of standards.