title: Topical ampicillin for prophylaxis against wound infection in acute appendicitis.
abstract: A total of 249 patients, undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis, were prospectively randomized into two groups. Group I, comprising 132 patients, received sterile normal saline irrigation to the surgical wound at closure. Alternatively, Group II included 117 patients, who received intraoperative topical ampicillin irrigation of the wound. Both groups were comparable with regard to age, sex, duration of symptoms, and severity of appendicitis. All patients additionally received preoperative systemic gentamicin and Flagyl. Wound infection occurred in 5.3% of Group I compared to only 0.9% of Group II (P<0.05). The reduction in infection rate was significant (P<0.05) in histologically proven appendicitis. We conclude that the addition of intraoperative topical ampicillin to systemic gentamicin and Flagyl augments prophylaxis against wound infection in acute appendicitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Saud University-Abha Branch, College of Medicine, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Al-Shehri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saif
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abu-Eshy
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Malki
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Latif
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malatani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Saigh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Nami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batouk