Data from: Prevention of surgical site infection in lower limb skin lesion excisions with single dose oral antibiotic prophylaxis: a prospective randomised placebo-controlled double-blind trial

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of a single perioperative
prophylactic 2 g dose of cephalexin in preventing surgical site infection
(SSI) following excision of skin lesions from the lower limb. Design:
Prospective double-blinded placebo-controlled trial testing for difference
in infection rates. Setting: Primary care in regional North Queensland,
Australia. Participants: 52 patients undergoing lower limb skin lesion
excision. Interventions: 2 g dose of cephalexin 30–60 min before excision.
Main outcome measures: Incidence of SSI. Results: Incidence of SSI was
12.5% (95% CI 2.7% to 32.4%) in the cephalexin group compared with 35.7%
(95% CI 18.6% to 55.9%) in the placebo group (p=0.064). This represented
an absolute reduction of 23.21% (95% CI −0.39% to 46.82%), relative
reduction of 65.00% (95% CI −12.70% to 89.13%) and number-needed-to-treat
of 4.3. Conclusions: Administration of a single 2 g dose of cephalexin
30–60 min before skin lesion excision from the lower limb may produce a
reduction in the incidence of infection; however, this study was
underpowered to statistically determine this. Trial registration number:
ACTRN12611000595910.