Therapeutic antimicrobial use should be applied appropriately in the surgical setting.

• Administration of antimicrobials should not replace appropriate sterile technique.
• Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis is the use of a very brief course of an antimicrobial agent initiated 30–60 minutes before the first incision. Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis is not usually needed for clean procedures.
• Sterile technique and proper tissue handling should eliminate the need for prophylactic antibiotics in ovariohysterectomies, orchiectomies, and most other sterile procedures.
• Ongoing postoperative antimicrobial therapy is rarely required.¹⁴