To detect the use of prophylactic antibiotics in inguinal hernia repair: A randomized study in tertiary care hospital Karachi

Aim: to detect the use of prophylactic antibiotics in inguinal hernia repair. method and result: a total of two hundred patients were included that underwent inguinal hernia repair at kvss site hospital from jan 2012 to dec 2012; they were randomized in two groups. group 1 was given prophylactic dose of injamoxiclav while group 2 was given placebo only. results were compared and data analyzed using the chisquare test. complications in both the groups were compared. rate of serous discharge and seroma formation was 1% and 22% respectively in group 1 while 2% and 26% in group 2 also the rate of erythema and stitch abscess were 1% and none in group 1 and 2% and 1% in group 2 respectively. on statistical analysis these differences were not significant. conclusion: prophylactic antibiotics in elective inguinal hernia repair have no substantial advantage over placebo although more studies are essential to prepare someaddition of prophylactic antibiotics in elective open inguinal hernia repair has no significant benefit over placebo although larger studies are required to prepare some uniform guidelines.