DefinePK

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of surgical site infections in pediatric patients undergoing elective inguinal surgeries with and without post-operative antibiotic prophylaxis.
Methodology: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore, over six months. A total of 88 children aged 2–7 years undergoing elective inguinal herniotomy or orchidopexy were randomized into two groups of 44 each. All patients received a single pre-operative dose of intravenous Ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg). Group A received additional post-operative oral antibiotics (Amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid for five days), while Group B received no post-operative antibiotics. Patients were followed for 30 days post-operatively, and surgical wounds were assessed for signs of infection. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with a p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
 Results: The overall incidence of SSI was 5.7% (5 out of 88). Group A had 2 cases (4.5%) of SSI, while Group B had 3 cases (6.8%), a difference that was not statistically significant (p = 0.64). All infections were superficial and managed conservatively. No significant difference was found in hospital stay or severity of infections between the two groups.
Conclusion: Routine post-operative antibiotic prophylaxis does not significantly reduce the risk of surgical site infections in clean elective pediatric inguinal surgeries. Judicious use of antibiotics is recommended to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance without compromising patient safety.