Our study sought to establish the necessity of prolonged pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients presenting with zone II and zone V acute flexor tendon injuries (FTI). We hypothesized that a single dose of prophylactic antibiotic was adequate in prevention of post-operative wound infection in acute zone II and V FTI.

This was a prospective study of 116 patients who presented with zone II and zone V acute FTI. The study included patients who were 18 years and older. Those with macroscopic contamination, immunocompromised, open fractures, bite injuries, and crush injuries were excluded. Patients were randomised into a group receiving a single dose of prophylactic antibiotic and another group receiving a continuous 8 hourly antibiotic doses until the day of surgery. Each group was subdivided into occupational and non-occupational injuries. Their post-operative wound outcomes were documented 10 – 14 days after surgery. The wound outcome was reported as no infection, superficial infection (treated with wound dressings), and deep infection (requiring surgical debridement).

There was 0.9% rate of deep post-operative wound infections, which was a single zone V acute FTI case in a single dose prophylactic antibiotic group. There was a 7.8% superficial post-operative wound infection rate, which was mainly zone II acute FTI in both antibiotic groups. There was a strong association between zone II acute FTI and post-operative wound infection (p < 0.05). There was no association between (antibiotic dosage or place of injury) with post-operative wound infection (p > 0.05).

There is no benefit in prescribing prolonged pre-operative antibiotic in patients with acute, simple lacerations to zone II and zone V FTI if there is no macroscopic wound contamination.