Are We Underusing Antibiotics in High-Risk Oncologic Surgeries?

Simultaneous liver and colorectal resections ( SLCR ) offer curative potential for colorectal liver metastases but carry a high risk of liver-related surgical site infections (liver-SSIs). A multicenter study of 250 patients found that extending prophylaxis with a 72-hour postoperative antibiotic course (PPA) significantly lowered liver-SSI rates ( 11% vs. 29.3% ), reduced severe morbidity, and shortened hospital stay compared with intraoperative antibiotics alone.

Importantly, these benefits were consistent across both laparoscopic and open resections, as well as minor and major hepatectomies. These findings suggest that short-course PPA could be a safe, effective strategy for improving outcomes in SLCR, though validation in randomized trials is needed. To read more; Click here  Should 72-hour antibiotic prophylaxis become the new standard in high-risk combined oncologic surgeries?…