Prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgery: trends of use over 25 years of an evolving specialty.

Background: Infection complicating a plastic-surgery procedure can be a catastrophic event, both for the patient and the surgeon. Surveys published in 1975 and 1985 demonstrated the "usual and customary" practices of plastic surgeons with regard to the use of prophylactic antibiotics.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine plastic surgeons' current use of prophylactic antibiotics, to compare these data with similar data from 1975 and 1985, and to gain relevant information regarding newer aesthetic procedures.