What do systematic reviews say?

Preoperative antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

Preoperative antibiotics probably leads to lower wound infections Proportion of wound infections compared with placebo or no antibiotic (moderate certainty).

• Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after breast cancer surgery 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.53, 0.85]
  10 studies · 2823 participants
  Moderate

Preoperative antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

• Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after breast cancer surgery 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  10 studies · 2818 participants
  Very low

Preoperative antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

• Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after breast cancer surgery 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 1450 participants
  Low

Preoperative antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

• Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after breast cancer surgery 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 784 participants
  Low

Preoperative antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

• Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection after breast cancer surgery 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 510 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation vs oral antibiotics

• Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective… 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 2 participants
  Moderate

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation vs oral antibiotics

It is very uncertain whether summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic… changes surgical site infections compared with oral antibiotics alone (very low certainty).

• Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective… 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.87 [0.34, 2.21]
  3 studies · 960 participants
  Very low

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation vs oral antibiotics

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic… showed no clear difference in anastomotic leakage compared with oral antibiotics alone (low certainty).

• Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective… 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.84 [0.21, 3.45]
  3 studies · 960 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation vs oral antibiotics

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic… showed no clear difference in mortality compared with oral antibiotics alone (low certainty).

• Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective… 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.3, 3.5]
  2 studies · 709 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation vs oral antibiotics

Summary of findings table ‐ Combined mechanical and oral antibiotic… showed no clear difference in incidence of postoperative ileus compared with oral antibiotics alone (low certainty).

• Preoperative combined mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation for preventing complications in elective… 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.25 [0.68, 2.33]
  2 studies · 709 participants
  Low