SSI Rates in Patients Undergoing Mastectomy Without Reconstruction- A Multicenter, Double-blinded RCT.

Breast cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy in the world and an important component of treatment warrants surgical procedures such as mastectomy. Surgical site infections after breast surgery may range from 1-26%, which is high for surgeries that are considered "clean procedures", as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wound classification system. Prophylactic antibiotics given before the surgical incision as per Joint Commissions SCIP (Surgical Care Improvement Project) guidelines, have been shown to decrease the rate of postoperative infections in a vast number of patients. There is however, no clear consensus due to lack of evidence on continuation (duration) of prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing mastectomy with indwelling drains, and thus antibiotic prescribing practices may vary among breast as well as reconstructive surgeons. In this trial all patients undergoing mastectomy without immediate reconstruction will receive a single prophylactic dose of preoperative antibiotic, and subsequently, the patients will be randomized to either continue the prophylactic antibiotics or receive a placebo for the duration of indwelling drains. The aim of this trial is to compare the difference in SSI rates between these two study arms as the main outcome. In addition, the factors associated with differing rates of SSI in the intervention and control group will also be identified.