Ampicillin-Sulbactam Prophylaxis Benefits Esophagectomy

Antimicrobial prophylaxis with ampicillin-sulbactam was associated with significantly lower rates of surgical site infection, anastomotic leakage, and respiratory failure compared to cefazolin in esophagectomy patients. This choice of antibiotic also led to reduced respiratory complications, shorter hospital stays, and lower total hospitalization costs, with no increase in noninfectious complications. Propensity score matching and instrumental variable analyses confirmed these findings.