Antibiotic Use & Open Fracture of the Lower Extremity

The trauma patient is particularly susceptible to renal injury due to factors such as renal hypoperfusion in the acute setting, the concomitant administration of necessary intravenous contrast agents for diagnostic, and sometimes additionally therapeutic imaging (3). This is additionally complicated by the presentation of trauma patients with pre-existing renal disease. This study will assess whether prophylactic antibiotics \<72hrs have similar outcomes as ≥ 72 hrs of antibiotics, whether type of antibiotics impacts outcomes in patients in either group, help determine the incidence of infection in Gustilo Type III lower extremity fracture when treated either with a single agent (cephalosporin) or dual agent (cephalosporin + aminoglycoside) and the complication profile of patients with Gustilo Type III lower extremity fracture when treated either with a single agent (cephalosporin 1st generation) or dual agent (cephalosporin 1st generation + aminoglycoside).