SINGLE-DOSE ANTIBIOTIC-PROPHYLAXIS IN MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

The clinical efficacy of short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis with eit her one shot of ceftriaxone (I g) or a course of 3 injections of a fix ed combination of mezlocillin (2 g) and oxacillin (1 g) administered o ver 24 h was studied in a prospective randomized clinical study of 100 patients undergoing elective maxillofacial surgery. Tissue and plasma concentrations of the antibiotics were determined by high-pressure li quid chromatography in 6 tumor surgery patients from each treatment gr oup. Statistical analysis showed the treatment groups to be comparable both demographically and with respect to the types of surgery perform ed and the durations of the procedures. Only 1 patient in each group d eveloped a postoperative wound infection. It is concluded that 1 g cef triaxone given 30 min preoperatively meets the pharmacokinetic require ments for perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis in maxillofacial sur gery.