Preoperative dose of antibiotic

When vancomycin is used as a preoperative prophylactic antibiotic, it should be administered within ______ minutes of the start of surgery.

A) 15
B) 30
C) 60
D) 120
E) At the time of incision

Answer and Discussion

The answer is D.
Ideally, a preoperative dose of antibiotic should provide a sufficient antibiotic serum level throughout the surgery to combat organisms most likely to cause a site infection. It is recommended that the first dose be timed to occur within 60 minutes before the surgical incision is made. If a fluoroquinolone or vancomycin is chosen for prophylaxis, the first dose should be administered within 120 minutes of the start of surgery. If the surgery involves the use of a tourniquet (e.g., hip or knee arthroplasty), the antibiotic infusion should be completed before inflation of the tourniquet. For most surgeries, it is recommended that use of prophylactic antibiotics end within 24 hours after surgery.