title: Short-term prophylaxis with cefotaxime in colorectal surgery. A prospective, randomized trial.
abstract: In a controlled, randomized study the effect of penicillin and streptomycin on postoperative septic complications in colorectal surgery (penicillin, 2 ml, IU, intramuscularly, three times daily for a period of six days and concomitantly streptomycin, 0.5 gm, intramuscularly, two times daily for a period of four days) was compared with the effect of cefotaxime, 2 gm, intravenously, three times on the day of surgery. One hundred patients completed the study: 48 were treated with penicillin and streptomycin (Group 1) and 52 with cefotaxime (Group 2). Wound infection occurred in one patient (2.1 percent) in Group 1, but not in Group 2 (0%, N.S.). Rupture of the wound occurred in one patient in each group (2.1 percent vs. 1.9 percent, N.S.). Insufficiency of the anastomosis occurred in four patients in Group 1 (8.3 percent) and in one patient in Group 2 (1.9 percent). It is concluded that short-term prophylaxis with cefotaxime is as effective as long-term prophylaxis with penicillin and streptomycin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Lucas Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lauridsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bjoernsen
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hart Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins; D002439:Cefotaxime; D013307:Streptomycin