Abstract
Objective: the objectives of this study were to document the use of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis in elective gynaecologic and obstetric surgeries in Pakistan and the therapeutic class of prophylactic agents administered.
Study Design: cross-sectional, observational study.
Place and Duration: between August 2010 and January 2011. Based on convenience sampling from 37 hospitals (17 Public and 20 Private) in secondary and tertiary settings from nine cities of Pakistan participated.
Methodology: the patients >18 years of age, undergoing elective gynecologic and obstetric surgeries, were included. Patient’s information was recorded on standardized data collection form after informed consent.
Results: data of 937 out of the 1006 patients enrolled was analyzed as 69 patients did not meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 30.9 (± 8.8) years. In 88.5% (799/903) of the patients prophylactic antibiotic was administered as a routine practice. Prophylactic dose was administered within one hour in 68.5% patients and at the time of incision in 4.0% patients. On an average, antibiotics were administered for 3.8 (±1.9) days.
Conclusion: surgical antibiotic prophylaxis administration is almost universal irrespective of the type of gyneacologic or obstetric surgery. Third generation cephalosporin are the most common class of antibiotic administered. There is a need to frame surgical guidelines contextual to the clinical setting in Pakistan.
Keywords: antibiotic prophylaxis. Cephalosporin, Elective, Gynecologic and obstetric surgery.