Infectious Outcomes from Renal Tumor Ablation: Prophylactic Antibiotics or Not?

Abstract

Prophylactic antibiotics seldom are used and/or reported in renal tumor ablation, and when they are, the antibiotic regimens vary widely. Even so, infectious complications in renal tumor ablation are uncommon. The similar and very low rates of infectious outcomes among ablation types and the two access approaches (laparoscopic and percutaneous) suggest that prophylactic antibiotics for routine renal tumor ablation are unnecessary.

Percutaneous microwave ablation of renal cell carcinoma: practice guidelines of the ultrasound committee of Chinese medical association, interventional oncology committee of Chinese research hospital association

“…There is no consensus on the use of antibiotics after the ablation procedure. According to the review of articles reporting RFA, cryoablation, and MWA of renal masses, potentially infectious complications occurred infrequently in 74/6952 patients (1.06%) [40]. Therefore, prophylactic antibiotics for routine T1a renal tumor ablation are not recommended, but for the diabetic patients, patients with a ureteric stent placed for pyeloperfusion, patients with multiple or large tumors or with tumor adjacent to intestine, prophylactic antibiotics is recommended to use [32].…”

Commentary on the Role of Antibiotics for Renal Tumor Ablation

“…The recent article, "Infectious Outcomes from Renal Tumor Ablation: Prophylactic Antibiotics or Not?" sheds light on renal tumor ablation infection risk and reported use of prophylactic antibiotics 3 .…”

“…The use of prophylactic antibiotics for ablation of renal tumors varies and is a practice that has little to no supporting evidence [1][2][3] . Prior studies on renal tumor ablation typically do not mention whether antibiotics were used or not, and in those that do, a wide variety of antibiotic choices has been described 3 .…”

“…The use of prophylactic antibiotics for ablation of renal tumors varies and is a practice that has little to no supporting evidence [1][2][3] . Prior studies on renal tumor ablation typically do not mention whether antibiotics were used or not, and in those that do, a wide variety of antibiotic choices has been described 3 . Despite renal tumor ablation becoming a common practice in the early 2000s 4,5 , currently there is no consensus on the use of routine antibiotic prophylaxis for tumor ablation, per the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) 6 .…”