title: A randomized prospective study of oral versus intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis against postoperative infection after sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated whether oral levofloxacin was as effective as intravenous cefazolin sodium for preventing postoperative infections in patients undergoing sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients were randomized to treatment with levofloxacin or cefazolin sodium. Levofloxacin (100 mg t.d.s.) was administered orally, and cefazolin sodium (1 g b.i.d.) by intravenous infusion. Both drugs were given until 5 days postoperatively. The concentrations of levofloxacin in the mandibular bone marrow and serum were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean levofloxacin concentration 4 h and 53.7 min after administration was 1.086 microg/ml in serum and 1.328 microg/ml in the mandibular bone marrow. The efficacy rate of levofloxacin was 95% and that of cefazolin sodium was 85.7%, with no significant difference between the two drugs (p = 0.322).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral administration of levofloxacin is a simple, cost-effective and safe alternative to intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis after mandibular surgery.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. yoda.os2@dent.tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Enomoto
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D010027:Osteotomy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D002437:Cefazolin