Infections after breast surgery: potential ways to reduce infection rates

Breast infection rates are higher than expected for clean cases and are decreased with the use of prophylactic preoperative antibiotics. Surgical care bundles include evidence-based measures such as selection of preoperative antibiotics to cover skin flora, skin preparation, stopping antibiotics within 24 h, normothermia and hair removal. Glycemic control should be addressed but there is no additional benefit with tight control. Drain antisepsis provides a promising new approach to reducing infections in breast operations that use surgical drains. Other surgical disciplines have shown benefit with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus decolonization, vancomycin powder application and use of gentamicin-impregnated collagen plugs.

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