title: Antimicrobial Bowel Preparation for Elective Colon Surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mechanical bowel preparation continues to be a controversial subject for the pre-operative management of patients undergoing elective colon resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The English literature on bowel preparation was searched to identify pertinent publications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The published literature over the past 80 y confirms that mechanical bowel preparation alone does not reduce surgical site infections. However, the use of appropriate oral antibiotics following mechanical bowel preparation with pre-operative systemic antibiotics reduces rates of surgical site infections and anastomotic leaks when compared with systemic antibiotics alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mechanical bowel preparation with pre-operative oral antibiotics and pre-operative systemic antibiotics are the standard of care for elective colon surgery. Refinement in methods of bowel preparation needs additional clinical investigations to further enhance outcomes.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago, Illinois.|2 Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine , Albuquerque, New Mexico .
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Fry
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D002400:Cathartics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003082:Colectomy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002400:Cathartics