Patients undergoing above 18 years of age, giving consent and undergoing open or laparoscopic elective, CDC class I & II surgeries will be recruited. Cases will be randomised into two cohorts viz: parenteral antibiotic (Group A) vs single-time intra-operative intra-dermal antibiotic administration group (Group B). In operation theatre, after induction of anaesthesia, Group A will receive parenteral ceftriaxone (15-20mg/kg) whereas Group B will receive single-time intra-operative intra-dermal ceftriaxone (15-20mg/kg diluted in 10 ml normal saline). Post-operatively, incision site will be covered with occlusive dressing. First check-dressing will be done after 48 hours as per the existing institutional practices. After that surgical site will be inspected daily for wound infection. Patients with healthy wound will be discharged at the discretion of the treating surgeon and will be asked to follow up in General Surgery OPD weekly for one month. Cases who developed an SSI will have samples collected from the afflicted area for bacterial culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing. On development of SSI, the treating clinical team will commence antibiotic therapy as per their protocols.
The purpose of the study is to study the incidence of surgical site infection when patients are given local versus parenteral antibiotics