Prophylactic antibiotics in pediatric orthopedic surgery: current practices.

A limited survey of 90 orthopedic surgery programs throughout the U.S.A. was conducted to determine the use of prophylactic antibiotics in pediatric orthopedic operations. Prophylaxis was used most often in the Harrington rod procedure (80.7%); less often in hip (64.2%) and knee (44.7%) reconstructive surgery; rarely in meniscus repairs (8.0%) and in lengthening of Achilles tendons (2.3%). Cephalosporins (85%) were the antibiotics prescribed most frequently. The first dose was administered before surgery in 89.6% of the operations. Prophylaxis was discontinued within five days in 96% of the operations. These data provide a pattern of the use of prophylaxis in pediatric orthopedic surgery.