Antibiotic Resistance in Surgery

In the United States, more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur each year. More than 35,000 people died as a result, according to the CDC’s 2019 AR Threats report. Treating infections caused by six common antibiotic-resistant germs in hospitals costs the U.S. over $4.6 billion each year, according to the CDC. It is evident that treating infections has become increasingly difficult, expensive, and risky, especially in surgical settings.

Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi defeat the drugs designed to kill them. This happens when antibiotics are overused, misused, or not taken properly. This allows the infection to multiple rapidly and spread at an exponential rate. Of the estimated 154 million prescriptions for antibiotics written in doctor’s offices and emergency departments each year, 30 percent are unnecessary. Due to drug resistance, the antibiotics used to treat infections become ineffective, which makes the infection difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, disability, and even death.

In surgical settings, antimicrobial resistance is becoming a major threat, making routine procedures life-threatening. Treatments and procedures such as cancer chemotherapy, caesarean section, hip replacements, organ transplantation, and other surgeries have become riskier. Antimicrobial resistance specifically at the surgical area can lead to surgical site infections (SSIs), which lead to slow wound healing, increased healthcare costs, and the need for more extensive surgical procedures in the future. SSIs can be deadly, as they are 2-11 times higher risk of death compared with operative patients without a SSI. Furthermore, each SSI is associated with approximately 7-10 additional postoperative hospital days. (Surgical Site Infection- Epidemiology, 2016). As the implications of antimicrobial resistance become more prevalent and urgent, it is important that research continues to improve infection prevention strategies and continue to develop new antibiotics that are effective against resistant pathogens and capable of overcoming existing mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.

Recent research has identified new therapeutic targets and treatment strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance. For instance, scientists found that a bacterial sugar can be exploited to disable dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens. This was investigated under superbugs, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Helicobacter pylori, and Campylobacter jejuni, which are known for their resistance to multiple antibiotics and their role in serious hospital-acquired infections. The sugar was indicated as pseudaminic acid (Pse), which is found exclusively on the outside of bacterial cells. This ground breaking research is just one example of how scientists are making efforts to improve treatment options and ensure that antimicrobial resistance is minimized so that patients can recover safely without the risk of infections amplifying.

Written by Henry Tran at Incisionary

References

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CDC. (2016). CDC Newsroom. CDC. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/media/releases/2016/p0503-unnecessary-prescriptions 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 8). Controlling the Emergence and Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance. Antimicrobial Resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/antimicrobial-resistance/prevention/index.html 

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Rezaei, A. R., Zienkiewicz, D., & Rezaei, A. R. (2025). Surgical site infections: a comprehensive review. Journal of Trauma and Injury, 38(2), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2025.0019 

Sayan Tribedi. (2026, March 31). Scientists have discovered an “Achilles” heel’ in deadly superbugs. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/health/medicine-drugs/scientists-have-discovered-an-achilles-heel-in-deadly-superbugs? 

Surgical Site Infections - Epidemiology. (2016, April 22). Epidemiology. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/surgical-site-infections/ 

World Health Organization. (2023, November 21). Antimicrobial resistance. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance