wound infection
Last reviewed 01/2018
The rate of wound infection is as high as 15% if antibiotics are not administered during cholecystectomy. With prophylaxis, this figure is reduced to 1%.
There is a high risk of infection if there is a fever, recent inflammation, stones in the common bile duct or obstructive jaundice at the time of operation, or if the patient is elderly.
Some surgeons therefore give prophylactic antibiotics before all gallbladder operations.