Limiting Antibiotics When Managing Mandible Fractures May Not Increase Infection Risk.

Purpose: To estimate and compare 1) the frequencies of surgical site infections (SSIs) and 2) adverse antibiotic effects (AAEs) between patients who receive only intraoperative antibiotics (study group) and those who receive intraoperative antibiotics plus additional preoperative or postoperative antibiotics (control group) while undergoing operative treatment of open mandibular fractures.

Materials And Methods: The authors designed a retrospective cohort study and enrolled a sample derived from patients presenting to the Harborview Medical Center from 2009 through 2014 for the management of open mandibular fractures. Eligible patients were at least 18 years of age with open, isolated mandibular fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation using transoral approaches or closed reduction and intermaxillary fixation.