Chapter 9: Table of Contents
Prophylactic Antibiotics
Cefazolin (22mg/kg) is typically administered at the time of anesthetic induction (within 30 minutes of incising for surgery) and every 90 minutes during the procedure (if applicable). Procedures of less than 90 minutes where a hollow viscus is not entered do not require prophylactic antibiotics but one does not always know what to expect before opening the abdomen! If I know I will be entering the lower intestinal tract, I substitute cefazolin with cefoxitin (22mg/kg), a second-generation cephalosporin. Prophylactic antibiotics are typically stopped at the end of the procedure but a full course of antibiotics can be administered if indicated (e.g. contamination).