Preoperative antibiotics and capsular contracture in augmentation mammaplasty

• Published in: Plastic and reconstructive surgery (1963) Vol. 86; no. 2; p. 260
• Main Authors: Gylbert, L, Asplund, O, Berggren, A, Jurell, G, Ransjö, U, Ostrup, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-08-1990
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Breast - microbiology; Breast - surgery; Contracture - etiology; Contracture - prevention & control; Dicloxacillin - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Female; Foreign-Body Reaction - etiology; Foreign-Body Reaction - prevention & control; Humans; Middle Aged; Penicillin G - therapeutic use; Premedication; Random Allocation; Surgery, Plastic - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0032-1052
• DOI: 10.1097/00006534-199008000-00009

The main drawback with augmentation mammaplasty using implants is capsular contracture. The cause of this complication is still unknown. Silicone particles, hematoma, and bacterial contamination are some of the etiologic factors discussed. In this randomized, double-blind study on 76 breast-augmented women, 50 percent of the patients had preoperative prophylaxis with benzylpenicillin and dicloxacillin. Bacteria samples were taken intraoperatively. The number of negative cultures increased significantly with antibiotic prophylaxis. In four follow-ups during the first postoperative year, the rate of contractures was evaluated by subjective and objective methods. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the placebo and the antibiotic group with respect to the incidence of capsular contracture.