Yu XL, Peng JH, Chang Q, Chen JW, Yang JS, Wang MK. Important issues on the prevention of surgical site infections and the management of prophylactic antibiotics. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(4): 102144 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i4.102144]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ming-Ke Wang, MD, PhD, Associate Chief Physician, Naval Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army, Naval Medical University, No. 338 Huaihai West Road, Changning District, Shanghai 200052, China. wmke021@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Infectious Diseases
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Xue-Lu Yu, Jing-Wen Chen, Ji-Shun Yang, Ming-Ke Wang, Naval Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200052, China
Jian-Hui Peng, Department of Quality Management, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 510317, Guangdong Province, China
Qing Chang, The Third Department of Convalescence, Beidaihe Rehabilitation and Convalescence Center of People’s Liberation Army, Qinhuangdao 066000, Hebei Province, China
Jing-Wen Chen, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China
Co-first authors: Xue-Lu Yu and Jian-Hui Peng.
Co-corresponding authors: Ji-Shun Yang and Ming-Ke Wang.
Author contributions: Wang MK and Yang JS conceptualized, designed, and revised the manuscript; Yu XL and Peng JH drafted the manuscript; Chang Q and Chen JW collected and summarized the literature. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Yu XL and Peng JH wrote the draft and contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. Both Wang MK and Yang JS conceptualized, proposed, and supervised the entire process of preparing this manuscript, and played important and indispensable roles in the manuscript preparation and revision as the co-corresponding authors. Wang MK applied for and obtained the funds for this research project. Wang MK conceptualized, designed, and supervised the entire process of the project. He searched the literature, and revised and submitted the early drafts of the manuscript. Yang JS was instrumental and responsible for the comprehensive literature search, preparation, and submission of the current version of the manuscript. This collaboration between Wang MK and Yang JS is crucial for the publication of this manuscript and other manuscripts under preparation.
Supported by Scientific Research Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission of Changning District, No. 20234Y038; and Medical Science and Technology Research Foundation of Guangdong Province, China, No. C2022023.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ming-Ke Wang, MD, PhD, Associate Chief Physician, Naval Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army, Naval Medical University, No. 338 Huaihai West Road, Changning District, Shanghai 200052, China. wmke021@163.com
Received: October 9, 2024 Revised: January 6, 2025 Accepted: February 8, 2025 Published online: April 27, 2025 Processing time: 170 Days and 16.1 Hours
Abstract
In this article, we have addressed the recent published article by Wang et al which examines risk factors associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) and evaluates the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in their prevention. Wang et al identified several significant risk factors of SSIs, including age ≥ 60 years, diabetes mellitus, and surgical complications such as insufficient cystic duct stump closure, gallbladder perforation, empyema, and postoperative hematoma. Their findings suggest that prophylactic antibiotics can serve as a protective factor against SSIs. However, other reported risk factors and preventive strategies warrant consideration to further reduce the incidence of SSIs, lower healthcare costs, and enhance patient outcomes. Additionally, the judicious use of prophylactic antibiotics is crucial in light of the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance caused by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Effective management strategies for prophylactic antibiotic use should be prioritized to balance infection control with the need to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Core Tip: The occurrence of surgical site infections is associated with patient’s characteristics and surgical factors. Preventive strategies such as risk assessment, disinfection, and enhanced nutrition are essential to reducing the incidence of surgical site infections and healthcare expenditures and improving patient’s clinical outcome. In addition, the use of prophylactic antibiotics should be individualized and precise.
