TOPLINE:

For patients with beta-lactam allergy undergoing orthopedic surgery, prioritizing cefazolin as the preferred antibiotic for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) did not lead to any probable hypersensitivity reactions, even among patients with a history of severe beta-lactam allergies.

METHODOLOGY:

Past practice had called for avoiding the use of cefazolin in patients with beta-lactam allergy, but this approach left patients at greater risk for SSIs. Newer studies established that cefazolin could be a safe option for these patients after all.

Researchers conducted a retrospective review to evaluate the safety of a quality improvement protocol that recommended adopting cefazolin for SSI prophylaxis in patients allergic to beta-lactams — excluding those with a docume

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