title: Appendicitis in childhood: reduction in wound infection with preoperative antibiotics.
abstract: A reduction in wound infection after appendicectomy for acute appendicitis in children is described and attributed to the use of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics. In 118 consecutive children with appendicitis proven on histological examination there were three wound infections (2.5%) and only one of these was a serious wound abscess (0.8%). There was no postoperative abdominal abscess. Twenty-four of these children had appendicitis complicated by gangrene, perforation, peritonitis or abscess formation. This wound infection rate is compared with the author's previous unpublished rate of 8%, and a rate of 37% in a previously published series. It is comparable to the current wound infection rate for clean heriniorrhaphy procedures. The ideal is a single antibiotic effective against aerobic and anaerobic organisms with few side effects and little hypersensitivity. In early appendicitis, cefoxitin alone is likely to be effective, but in patients with complicated appendicitis, cefoxitin with metronidazole or lincomycin with an aminoglycoside are recommended.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011292:Premedication; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D007612:Kanamycin; D000667:Ampicillin