title: Oral prophylaxis with neomycin and erythromycin in colorectal surgery. More proof for efficacy than failure.
abstract: In an open, prospective, and randomized investigation on the prophylactic efficacy of peroral neomycin sulfate-erythromycin base vs intravenous ceftriaxone-metronidazole preparation in colorectal surgery, no significantly diverging results between regimens were recorded (1/27 [3.7%] and 2/27 [7.4%] wound infections, respectively). Commentary is made about the diverging results from earlier studies on antimicrobial prophylaxis and on the multifactorial causality of surgical infection. We believe that variables such as physical condition of the patients, virulence and local resistance patterns of bacteria, and technical skill of the surgeons are far more important in regard to the postoperative outcome concerning septic complications than is the choice of proper antibiotics. Thus, to determine the efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis, we call for larger investigations in the future, preferably double-blind, where it is possible to better control and diminish the influence of determinants other than the antibiotics being compared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kling
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009355:Neomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole; D004917:Erythromycin; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D009355:Neomycin