Investigation of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Usage for Vascular and Nonvascular Interventional Procedures

Purpose To investigate current antibiotic prophylactic usage for arteriography, angioplasty, vascular stent placement, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement (TIPS), tunneled-port placement, inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement, biliary drainage, genitourinary drainage, abdominal drainage, and enteral tube placement with an aim to better clarify indications and regimens for prophylaxis. Methods A questionnaire regarding antibiotic prophylactic usage was sent to 2,039 members of the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (SCVIR). There were 401 respondents. Replies were evaluated for frequency and indications of prophylaxis, specific prophylaxis used, and clarity of indications for prophylaxis. Results A majority of responders never used prophylaxis for arteriography, angioplasty, vascular stent placement, IVC filter placement, abdominal drainage, and enteral tube placement. Infective complication rates from nonusage ranged between 1% and 15%. Approximately 45% always used prophylaxis for tunneled-port placement and TIPS with a 13%–16% infective complication rate among nonusers. In contrast, a majority of responders always used prophylaxis for biliary and genitourinary drainage, with a 40%–58% infective complication rate in nonusers. More than 70% of responders believed that the indications for prophylaxis were not clear for arteriography, angioplasty, vascular stent placement, tunneled-port placement, TIPS, IVC filter placement, and enteral tube placement, and in contrast, that the indications for prophylaxis for biliary and genitourinary drainage were clear. Fifty-one percent of responders believed that indications for prophylaxis for abdominal drainage were clear. Conclusions Indications for antibiotic prophylaxis are not clear to interventionalists for a large number of vascular and non-vascular interventional procedures. Prophylaxis appears unnecessary for routine arteriography, angioplasty, IVC filter placement, vascular stent placement, or enterostomy tube placement. Antibiotic prophylaxis is warranted for TIPS and tunneled-port placement. Conversely, indications for antibiotic prophylaxis are clear to interventionalists for biliary and genitourinary drainage procedures. Routine prophylaxis remains warranted for both.