Topical Application of Antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of Surgical Site Infection After Elective LSCS: RCT

Abstract

C esarean delivery is the most commonly performed surgery in the United States, with nearly 1.2 million procedures in 2004 (National Institutes of health state 2007). Infectious morbidity, consisting primarily of endomyometritis and wound infection remains a leading cause of postoperative complication (Henderson et al., 1995). Estimates of post caesarean infection rates range from 7% to 20% depending on demographic and obstetric variables (Ramsey et al., 2005). Infection following caesarean delivery results in not only increased hospital stay but also increases the cost of care. For example diagnosing and treating a single case of endometritis is estimated to cost $815 (Chelmow et al., 2004). Prophylactic antibiotics can reduce the incidence of post caesarean infectious morbidity by as much as 75%. The risk reduction is observed in both planned and emergent caesareans (Chelmow et al., 2001). The study included any female in the child bearing period of gestational age 38 weeks or older with viable fetus, BMI< 30 and undergoing elective caesarean delivery. Patients excluded were those with preope