Work

Prehospital antibiotic administration for suspected open fractures: importance and implementation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The recent American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (COT), the Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) joint position statement entitled ‘Prehospital Antibiotic Administration for Suspected Open Fractures’ emphasizes the importance of prehospital antibiotics to help minimize and mitigate fracture-related infection.1 Deep infections after open fractures underscore this urgency, with infection rates as high as 27% for severe open tibia fractures, with multiple factors contributing to this risk, including degree of contamination, injury severity, and delayed treatment.2 The sequela of these infections can have multiple significant patient impacts, lead to prolonged hospitalization, necessitate additional operations, and ultimately affect long-term functional recovery. Early antibiotic administration (ideally within the first hour after injury) has been shown to help prevent serious complications and improve outcomes.3

Source: Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open

DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2024-001670

Authors: Matthew J Levy, Mariuxi C Manukyan, James R Ficke

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Bone fractures and treatments

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,100