PROPHYLAXIS AGAINST SEPSIS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING MAJOR SURGERY

Postoperative infection in general surgical patients is discussed acco rding to operation types. A selection of the huge literature on each g roup is reviewed, and details from the author's own work and ideas are presented. By discussing these points attempts are made to determine the best regimens for a given set of clinical circumstances. There is a small literature indicating that postoperative chest infection can b e prevented by some antibacterial drug regimens, and this question has been addressed; it seems that in the past it has been largely ignored . Some nonantibacterial methods of reducing postoperative infection ar e also briefly discussed.