The Role of Antibiotics in Breast Pocket Irrigation and Implant Immersion: A Systematic Review

Background: The usage of antibiotics and antiseptics to washout the breast pocket, or to soak the breast implant during surgery, has come under scrutiny in recent times. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give no recommendation for or against the usage of antibiotics in this regard. They do however offer a weak recommendation for washing tissues with iodophor. This systematic review aims to investigate the efficacy and impact of such topical antibiotic or antiseptic usage in reducing infection rates.