title: Prophylaxis against post-appendicectomy wound infection. A controlled clinical trial of intravenous (i.v.) metronidazole versus i.v. metronidazole-ampicillin-gentamicin.
abstract: A controlled clinical trial has been conducted on three doses of intravenous (I.V.) metronidazole alone and of I.V. metronidazole-gentamicin-ampicillin combined in wound infection following appendicectomy for non-perforated appendicitis. Of the 205 patients entered, 154 were evaluable. There were 118 males and 36 females (3.3:1), their mean age was 24 +/- 9.8 years, and mean Quetelet index was 23 +/- 5. The two groups were comparable in terms of seven potential risk factors: age, sex, Quetelet index, mean duration of operation, wound contamination, nasal carriage of S. aureus, and operating surgeon's rank. The over-all wound infection rate was 10.4%. There were two delayed infections in each treatment group. We found no difference between the two treatment groups in terms of wound infection and delayed wound infection. No adverse drug reaction was seen. We conclude that the two regimens are equally convenient, safe, effective, and reliable. But, metronidazole alone is the less expensive of the two.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Twum-Danso
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: al-Awami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: al-Breiki
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wosornu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001062:Appendectomy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D011292:Premedication; D011897:Random Allocation; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D008795:Metronidazole; D000667:Ampicillin