title: Oxacillin prophylaxis in cerebrospinal fluid shunt procedures: results of a randomized open study in 60 hydrocephalic patients.
abstract: A 27-month open randomized trial (October 1981-January 1984) was carried out to study the prophylactic efficacy of antibiotics in 60 hydrocephalic patients being shunted for the first time. The treatment group received oxacillin at a dosage of 200 mg/kg/day by six bolus intravenous injections, beginning with anesthetic induction and continuing for 24 hours after the operations. The minimum postoperative observation was 6 months. Six patients in the control group developed cerebrospinal fluid infections (20%) as compared with only a single patient in the oxacillin group (3.3%); this difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Time of development of cerebrospinal fluid infection was brief (86% at 6 weeks), and as usual staphylococci were the pathogens most frequently implicated. This study would appear to confirm the choice of oxacillin for prevention of meningitis. Nevertheless, the frequency of methicillin-resistant staphylococci, which account for 20% of nosocomial staphylococcal infections, constitutes a limiting factor for such prevention.
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D010068:Oxacillin