Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34258660›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2021

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair without antibiotic prophylaxis does not increase the infection rate.

Njalalle Baraza, Maciej J K Simon, Jordan M Leith

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Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 46% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Njalalle Baraza *Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Arthroscopy, Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care, University of British Columbia, 221-181 Keefer Pl, Vancouver, BC, V6B 6C1, Canada.
Maciej J K Simon *Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Arthroscopy, Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care, University of British Columbia, 221-181 Keefer Pl, Vancouver, BC, V6B 6C1, Canada. maciej.simon@uksh.de.
Jordan M LeithDepartment of Orthopaedics, Division of Arthroscopy, Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care Footbridge Clinic for Integrated Orthopaedic Care, University of British Columbia, 221-181 Keefer Pl, Vancouver, BC, V6B 6C1, Canada.
Aga Khan University Nairobi · KECenter for Orthopaedics · USUniversity of Lübeck · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeRotator cuff repair is a commonly performed shoulder procedure. In the past 20 years, there has been a shift from mini-open towards arthroscopic repair, and many units exclusively use arthroscopic techniques for rotator cuff surgery. The aim of this study was to find out whether withholding antibiotics had any effect on the infection rate in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

methodsA retrospective analysis of 336 consecutive patients with an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) and a minimum 2-year follow-up was performed. The control group received prophylactic antibiotics (controls) and the cases of interest did not receive perioperative antibiotics. A power analysis was performed according to literature regarding infection proportions. The primary outcome was an infection (superficial or deep) in the operated shoulder.

resultsThere were 336 patients who underwent a RCR. Two-hundred-and-twelve in the control group and 124 in the non-antibiotic group. Average ages were 57.3 ± 12.5 and 56.8 ± 13.2 years in each group, respectively. The follow-up times ranged from 24 to 76 months. Equipment used and surgical techniques were identical, only operating times were statistically different between the groups (control 77.2 ± 41.3 min versus no antibiotic cases 52.9 ± 16.7 min) (p = 0.000009). There was no recorded infection in either group.

conclusionInfection following arthroscopic surgery is uncommon. Small incisions, constant lavage with saline, minimal hardware insertion and short operating times all combine to minimise the risks. Current results point towards no detriment in withholding prophylactic antibiotics in low-risk patients undergoing routine rotator cuff repair surgery. Therefore, judicious use of prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing this procedure is advocated to prevent potential harm to those it is administered to. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Indexed as

ArthroscopyRotator Cuff InjuriesAdultAgedAntibiotic ProphylaxisHumansMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesRotator CuffTreatment OutcomeAntibiotic prophylaxisArthroscopyInfectionsRotator cuff repairShoulder

Identifiers

PMID34258660
OpenAlexW3182555173

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.