title: Prophylactic systemic antibiotics in colorectal surgery.
abstract: The prophylactic value of gentamicin combined with either lincomycin or metronidazole in 52 patients undergoing colorectal surgery was investigated. The results confirmed the value of this practice. In a control group, the sepsis-rate was 48% with 1 death attributable to sepsis, compared with a sepsis-rate of 4% in the treated group. The combination of gentamicin and lincomycin was effective against sepsis but pseudomembranous colitis developed in 2 of the 14 patients treated with this combination of drugs. Lincomycin was discontinued, and when metronidazole was substituted the results were equally good and there were no toxic side-effects.
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003092:Colitis / Q000601:surgery; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008034:Lincomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011349:Proctitis / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D008795:Metronidazole; D008034:Lincomycin