Preventing surgical site infections after bariatric surgery: value of perioperative antibiotic regimens

Abstract

Bariatric surgery for obesity has emerged as an effective and commonly used treatment modality. This paper reviews the surgical site infections (SSIs) that occur post bariatric surgery and SSI prevention. The benefit of bariatric surgery resulting in profound weight loss brings with it consequences in the form of postoperative complications that can have profound effects on morbidity and mortality in these patients. This paper sets out to define different types of SSIs that occur following bariatric surgery and to discuss existing literature on the critical aspects of SSI prevention and the appropriate use of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis for bariatric surgery.

Keywords::

• anastomotic leak
• antibiotic prophylaxis
• bariatric surgery
• port infection
• surgical site infection
• wound infection

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Keith Kaye is a consultant and on the speakers bureau for Merck, and has received research support. Keith Kaye is also on the speakers bureau for Pfizer and has received research support from them, he has also received a grant from the NIH (K23-AG023621-05). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.