Surgical site infection (SSI) following spinal surgery is a major source of operative morbidity

Studies have demonstrated perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis (AMP) to be beneficial in the prevention of SSI among spinal surgery patients

However, consensus is lacking over whether preoperative or extended postoperative AMP is most efficacious

Our meta-analysis investigated whether extended postoperative AMP is associated with a difference in the rate of SSI occurrence compared to preoperative AMP among adult patients undergoing spinal surgery

Preoperative AMP appears to provide equivalent protection against SSI development when compared to extended postoperative AMP in patients undergoing spine surgery