The use of antibiotics in open fractures.

The use of the term "prophylactic antibiotics" is probably not appropriate because we are in fact treating contaminated wounds. Only broad spectrum antibiotics that can be expected to be effective against coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus should be selected for antibiotic therapy in open fractures. We have found cephalothin-cephalexin therapy to be effective in significantly reducing the infection rate. However, the final selection of antibiotic treatment should be determined by the previous experience of organisms isolated and sensitivity studies done from open fracture wounds in each institution. These organisms will vary from hospital to hospital.