Systemic Antibiotic Prophylaxis Not Needed for Microsurgical Varicocelectomy

Objectives: Although systemic antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended for class I (clean) cases according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, they are often used for varicocelectomy. This study was designed to determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis is necessary for varicocelectomy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 278 patients who had undergone microsurgical varicocelectomy. No antibiotics were used. All patients were seen within 4 weeks of surgery and evaluated for signs of infection. Results: Only 2 patients developed culture-positive infection. Five additional patients had signs of infection as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conclusions: The results of this study have shown that antibiotic prophylaxis is not warranted for patients undergoing varicocelectomy.