Antibiotics after face grafts: help or hype?

NCT ID NCT01912651

First seen Jul 02, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether taking antibiotics after facial reconstructive surgery with skin grafts improves healing and reduces infection. Adults with facial defects needing a full-thickness skin graft are randomly assigned to receive either a single antibiotic dose before surgery plus a week of oral antibiotics, or the single dose only. The main goal is to see if antibiotics lower the rate of graft failure.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

cephalexin (or clindamycin for allergic patients)

What this could lead to

If antibiotics are shown to improve graft survival, this could establish a standard practice to reduce graft failure and revision surgeries.

What could go wrong

This is a single-center Phase 4 trial; results may not apply to all patients. Antibiotics carry side effects like allergic reactions or diarrhea, and may not improve outcomes.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States