Results of r and omized controlled trials performed to date provide evidence that antibiotic prophylaxis reduces subsequent infection and that courses as short as one day are as effective as courses of three to five days , although the evidence warrants only low to moderate confidence .
BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta- analysis of the use of alternative antibiotic regimens-including ( A ) antibiotic prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis , ( B ) longer versus shorter duration of antibiotic prophylaxis , and ( C ) alternative drugs-for  patients with open fracture of the extremities .
Duration of preventive antibiotic administration for open extremity fractures.
The necessary duration of antibiotic administration after open fracture has not been established . In a double-blind prospect i ve trial we r and omized 248 patients with open fractures to receive one or five days of cefonicid sodium therapy or five days of cefam and ole nafate therapy as part of the initial treatment . Rates of fracture-associated infections in the three groups were ten ( 13 % ) of 79 , ten ( 12 % ) of 85 , and 11 ( 13 % ) of 84 , respectively . The 95 % confidence limit for the difference in infection rates between the one-day group and the combined five-day groups was 0 % to 8.3 % . The actual difference was 0.2 % . A brief course of antibiotic administration is not inferior to a prolonged course of antibiotics for prevention of postoperative fracture-site infections
Results of r and omized controlled trials performed to date provide evidence that antibiotic prophylaxis reduces subsequent infection and that courses as short as one day are as effective as courses of three to five days , although the evidence warrants only low to moderate confidence .
BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta- analysis of the use of alternative antibiotic regimens-including ( A ) antibiotic prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis , ( B ) longer versus shorter duration of antibiotic prophylaxis , and ( C ) alternative drugs-for  patients with open fracture of the extremities .