Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in adults - Sistema Nazionale ...

PresentationFive years after publication of the guideline “Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis inAdults” by the National Guideline Programme (PNLG) as it was then called, thisupdated re-edition has been developed. It includes graded recommendations intendedto provide healthcare practitioners with a set of evidence-based criteria supplementedwith clinical experience as a guide to when and how it is appropriate to administerantibiotic prophylaxis in adult surgery.The guideline is part of the National System of Guidelines (SNLG) programme, fruitof an agreement between the Department for Health Planning, the Ministry for Healthand the Italian Health Institute.The aim of this agreement is to produce high-quality publications to promote correctpractice throughout the National Health System.The updated guideline responds to a need to assess recently published materialregarding perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in order to verify whether therecommendations proposed in the first edition should be amended in the light of morerecent evidence. In response to criticisms of the earlier guideline, the working groupdecided to extend the recommendations to the first 100 surgical Diagnosis-RelatedGroups (DRG), analysing newly available evidence and, when there was no evidencebase, to formulate recommendations based on the consensus opinion of the panel.Finally, issues relating to the choice, dosage and procedures for the administration ofantibiotics have been addressed in greater detail. To this end the present editionincludes models that operating units may use as a framework within which to adapttheir own guidelines to local settings.The conditions prevailing in individual operating units are in effect a major reason forissuing a new edition of the guideline. The working group has aimed to create a toolthat can be used extensively and that will expand knowledge and stimulate debate onan issue – perioperative infections and how best to prevent them – that remainshighly topical.