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Practical Aspects of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in High-Risk Surgical Patients

  • Conference paper
Infection in the Critically Ill: an Ongoing Challenge

Part of the book series: Topics in Anaesthesia and Critical Care ((TIACC))

Abstract

Infection is the most important complication of surgical procedures, and it continues to be a disconcerting cause of death in surgical patients. Postoperative infections, too, increase morbidity and prolong hospitalization [1]. Surgical patients can develop several postoperative infections; wound infection — representing more than 19% of all postoperative infections — is the most common, but also respiratory tract infections (14%), urinary tract infections (13%), fever of unknown etiology (7%), and thrombophlebitis (2.5%) are important causes of postoperative morbidity. These complications add 10%–20% additional costs to the total hospital bill [1]. In the United States, for any given type of operation, the development of a wound infection will approximately double the cost of hospitalization. Proper antibiotic prophylaxis reduces these costs.

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Authors
  1. G. Sganga
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  2. G. Brisinda
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  3. M. Castagneto
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Microbiology/Infection Control, Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS, Liverpool, UK

    H. K. F. van Saene

  2. Department of Surgery/Division of Organ Transplantation, Catholic University, University Hospital Agostino Gemelli and CNR Centro Studi Fisiopatologia Shock, Rome, Italy

    G. Sganga

  3. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Gorizia Hospital, Gorizia, Italy

    L. Silvestri

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Italia, Milano

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Sganga, G., Brisinda, G., Castagneto, M. (2001). Practical Aspects of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in High-Risk Surgical Patients. In: van Saene, H.K.F., Sganga, G., Silvestri, L. (eds) Infection in the Critically Ill: an Ongoing Challenge. Topics in Anaesthesia and Critical Care. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2242-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2242-3_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0138-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2242-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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