Topical antibiotics in the prevention of port-site infection after elective day care laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: Wound-related infections and complications are rare after day care laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). They can have a significant adverse impact on the postoperative course after an uneventful elective LC. The use of topical antibiotics over the port site may prevent such complications.

Materials and methods: This trial was conducted from January 2018 to June 2019. Two hundred and fifty patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. They were randomized into the topical antibiotic group (Group A, n = 125) and control group (Group B, n = 125). All patients underwent four-port LC. Mupirocin 2% topical antibiotic ointment was applied to all four-port sites in Group A, whereas no topical antibiotic was used in Group B. One dose of prophylactic systemic antibiotics was given to all patients in both groups.

Results: The mean age was 43.22 ± 12.7 years in Group A and 43.44 ± 12.5 years in Group B. The comorbidities and the other variables were comparable between the two groups. The port-site infection (PSI) was observed in one patient in Group A and three patients in Group B, which was statistically nonsignificant (P = 0.622). The mean time of detection of infection was 4.75 ± 1.7 days. All the infections were superficial surgical site infections. Microbiological swabs culture of the infected wounds yielded no growth of bacteria.

Conclusion: The PSI after LC is very less. The use of topical antibiotics to prevent PSIs after LC could not be established.