title: Value of oral antibiotic prophylaxis in colorectal surgery.
abstract: A total of 169 patients undergoing colorectal surgery were randomly allocated to receive either gentamicin plus metronidazole or oral ciprofloxacin plus metronidazole as prophylaxis; they were also allocated to receive cover for 1 or 3 days. Twenty-eight patients (17 per cent) developed postoperative wound infections. The proportion of patients with wound infections and other infective complications was significantly less (P < 0.02) in those receiving oral ciprofloxacin. Cover for 3 days was no better than that for only 1 day. Oral ciprofloxacin for prophylaxis may offer advantages in efficacy and ease of administration compared with parenteral antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: McArdle
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Morran
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pettit
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gemmell
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sleigh
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Tillotson
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D008795:Metronidazole; D002939:Ciprofloxacin