Effect of Perioperative Antibiotics on Postoperative Infection in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Retrospective Study

Objective The effect of perioperative antibiotics on postoperative infection (PI) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing postoperative infection and to identify related risk factors. Methods This retrospective study included 464 patients who underwent LC. Patients were divided into the antibiotic group (260 patients, received cephalosporin after anesthesia induction) and no-antibiotic group (204 patients). Demographic data and infection rates were compared using chi-squared and t-tests, and binary logistic regression was applied to identify risk factors, with results presented as odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI). Results The overall PI rate was 2.4% (11 of 464 patients), with no statistically significant difference between the antibiotic group (2.0%, 5 of 260 patients) and no-antibiotic group (3.0%, 6 of 204 patients; P value = 0.474). Risk factors significantly associated with PI included advanced age (P = 0.001), low albumin levels (P = 0.010), long hospital stay (P < 0.001), and prolonged operation time (P = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis revealed that advanced age (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.00–1.16) and extended hospital stay (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.14–1.56) significantly increased the risk of postoperative infection. Conclusion Routine prophylactic antibiotics may not be necessary for all patients undergoing LC; however, older patients and those with extended hospitalizations should be carefully evaluated, as they may be at higher infection risk. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and optimize antibiotic use in this context.