Abstract
[Background] For a short operation, it has been proposed that a single administration of antibiotics is sufficient to prevent postoperative infection. However, in many cases, antibiotics are used for a few days or longer after operations in Japan. [Purpose] LVFX is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone drug. It is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is well known that the efficacy of quinolone drugs depend on their concentration. We used a single dose of 500 mg LVFX for antimicrobial prophylaxis. [Patients and methods] The patients included in this study were those who underwent clean head and neck surgery at Hokkaido University Hospital between January 2008 and December 2009. They took LVFX 2 hours before their operation. [Results] A total of 36 patients were included in the study. None of them developed a postoperative infection. There were no side effect that were obviously related to the LVFX. [Conclusion] We confirmed that single-dose LVFX is effective for prophylaxis during clean head and neck surgery. Therefore, Japanese institutions should consider changing their use of antimicrobial prophylaxis agents.
