When is surgical antibiotic prophylaxis indicated?

Postoperative infection can complicate any surgical procedure; however, the potential benefits of preventing postoperative infection with surgical antibiotic prophylaxis must be balanced against the potential harms of antimicrobial use (eg diarrhoea, rash, bacterial resistance; see also Types of adverse effects of antimicrobials). Many procedures do not require prophylaxis.

The recommendations for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis for specific procedures are informed, when possible, by evidence that prophylaxis is beneficial for the relevant procedure. In general, surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated if there is a significant risk of postoperative infection (eg colonic resection) or if postoperative infection would have serious consequences (eg infection associated with a prosthetic implant), even when such infection is uncommon.