Wound infection after metronidazole infiltration.
In state-run hospitals in India, pre-existing malnutrition and anaemia with late presentation, septicaemia and gross peritoneal contamination lead to a very high wound infection rate despite the use of systemic antibiotics. We studied the wound infection rate of subcutaneous infiltration of metronidazole (group B) versus irrigation with saline (group A) in patients undergoing exploratory laprotomy for perforation peritonitis with pyoperitoneum. The study included 30 patients in group A and 30 in group B. In group A 66.6% of the patients developed wound infection, whereas in group B 26.6% only developed wound infection. This difference is found to be statistically significant at a level of P < 0.01. There was no local complication attributable to infiltration of metronidazole in group B. Thus, we concluded that local infiltration of metronidazole at the incision is a safe and effective measure to control wound infection in cases of perforation peritonitis with pyoperitoneum.
Department of Surgery & Pediatric Surgery, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Assoc., Smt Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, New Delhi 110001, India. bhargava_pranshu@rediffmail.com
Pranshu
P
Bhargava
Nidhi
N
Mehrotra
Ajay
A
Kumar
D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D008795:Metronidazole