Effect of single – dose prophylactic antibiotic in prevention of groin infection after hernioplasty with prolene mesh

Background: Use of prosthetic material for inguinal hernia repair has been increased dramatically. Although the use of prophylactic antibiotic for open prosthetic inguinal hernia surgery is controversial, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in prevention of groin infection after hernioplasty with prolen mesh.

Material and Methods: In a prospective, randomized, double- blind placebo- controlled clinical trial wound infection rate in 204 patients was evaluated. The patients were underwent primary inguinal hernia repair electively using prolen mesh from September 2008 to December 2010. Age, gender, type and site of hernia was recorded. Infection was evaluated 3 and 10 days after operation. All complications were recorded.

The result was analyzed using mantel hanszel, chi-square and logistic regression.

Results: Superficial surgical site infection detected in 2 cases (2%) from the antibiotic group and 3 cases (2.9%) in placebo group (P=0.5). There was not deep surgical site infection in both groups. Simple drainage and oral antibiotic performed for 5 infected cases.

Conclusions: Preoperative administration of single- dose antibiotic for tension- free iguinal mesh hernioplasty did not markedly decrease risk of wound infection in our study. So we don’t recommend use of antibiotic prophylaxis for tension free mesh hernioplasty