title: Cefamandole versus cefoxitin prophylaxis in patients undergoing cholecystectomy.
abstract: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study of three different antibiotic prophylaxis regimens in 150 patients undergoing cholecystectomy was conducted. Group I patients received a 1-gram preoperative dose of cefamandole followed by 4 additional postoperative doses at 6-hour intervals. Group II received a similar regimen except that 2-gram doses of cefamandole were used. Group III received a comparable cefoxitin regimen in 2-gram doses. The patients were deemed to be at high risk for postoperative infection by virtue of the fact that most (almost 70%) were obese and all had had a recent attack of cholecystitis. There were no significant differences among the 3 groups with respect to postoperative infectious complications. It is concluded that perioperative cefamandole and cefoxitin are both effective in reducing the postoperative infectious complications of cholecystectomy. A 5-gram course of cefamandole is as effective as either a 10-gram course of cefamandole or a 10-gram course of cefoxitin and could provide a substantial savings in cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University, El Paso 79905.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Saltzstein
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mercer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002435:Cefamandole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D002435:Cefamandole; D002440:Cefoxitin