A COMPREHENSIVE MULTIINSTITUTIONAL STUDY OF EMPIRIC THERAPY WITH FLOMOXEF IN SURGICAL INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS

The effect of flomexef as empiric therapy for surgical infections of t he digestive organs was analyzed in 103 patients, most of whom (94.2%) had intra-abdominal infections. Surgical procedures were performed on 73 patients contemporaneously with the flomoxef therapy. Flomoxef is an oxacephem and has a potent and broad bactericidal spectrum against aerobes and anaerobes. It provokes fewer adverse reactions than latamo xef such as vitamin K deficiency and platelet dysfunction. Flomoxef wa s administered intravenously at a dose 1-4g/day for more than 3 days w ithout any other antimicrobial agent. The clinical response was classi fied into 3 groups; cured, improved and failed, and both the cured and improved responses were defined as satisfactory. A satisfactory respo nse was obtained in 99 patients (96.1%). Regarding bacteriological res ponse, the overall eradication rate was 81.3%. Adverse reactions inclu ding abnormal laboratory data occurred in only two patients. One had a bdominal pain, and the other had a mild elevation of transaminases, an d both were mild and easily reversible. Therefore, flomoxef is conside red to have the potential of becoming one of the most effective agents in empiric therapy for surgical infections of the digestive organs.