The overuse of antibiotics has been a global concern for years, especially in the treatment of children. The fear is that bacterial will become resistant when so many patients use antibiotics on a regular basis. Dr. O’Toole explains to patients who are having surgery that antibiotics are prescribed primarily as a precautionary measure against infection. For breast augmentation patients, the concern is also that the body may reject the implants as a foreign body which can cause not only infection but also capsular contracture. This is extremely rare, however, it is a risk of breast augmentation.Capsular contracture is characterized as a hardening of scar tissue surrounding the implant. Currently Allergan one of the major implant manufacturers, is testing the theory of antibiotics on the outer shell of the implant as a means to prevent capsular contracture. In order for antibiotics to continue to be effective patients cannot overuse them. According to KTLA 5 the researchers examined thousands of patient survey forms to perform the analysis. These showed a noticeable decline in antibiotic prescription rates beginning around 1995, shortly after the CDC began a campaign to encourage “appropriate antimicrobial use,” the report said. But patient expectations and physician behavior continue to fuel antibiotic overuse, it concluded, urging further efforts to decrease inappropriate prescribing in kids 14 or younger.
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