Gustilo type III open fractures involve extensive soft tissue damage and wound contamination that pose significant infection risks. The historical standard for antibiotic prophylaxis has been cefazolin and gentamicin. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of lower extremity type III open fractures treated with ceftriaxone alone for prophylaxis. Eighty-six patients were identified. Nearly all (98%) were managed with appropriate antibiotics, but only 55 (64%) received prophylaxis within 1 hour. Overall, there were 12 infections. This infection rate was not statistically different than the reported literature (14% vs 19%, P = .20). The infection rate between those who received antibiotics within 1 hour was not statistically different from those who got it beyond 1 hour (15% vs 13%, P = .98). In conclusion, the use of ceftriaxone as monotherapy for antibiotic prophylaxis in lower extremity type III open fractures is not statistically different than the use of historic prophylactic regimens.
Keywords: antibiotic prophylaxis; lower extremity; monotherapy; type III open fracture.