Tb. Hargreave et al., EUROPEAN COLLABORATIVE STUDY OF ANTIBIOTIC-PROPHYLAXIS FOR TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE, European urology, 23(4), 1993, pp. 437-443
A prospective randomised trial was undertaken in nine European Hospita
ls to test antibiotic prophylaxis for men undergoing transurethral res
ection of the prostate. Of the men with no significant growth (< 10(4)
cfu ml-1) in their preoperative urine, 247 received a single 1-gramme
dose of ceftazidime with the induction of anaesthesia, 256 received 1
g daily from the time of induction of anaesthesia until removal of th
e urethral catheter (but less-than-or-equal-to 5 days) and 261 receive
d no prophylaxis. Of evaluable patients 83 (33.9%), 45 (18.7%) and 29
(11.6%) of the no-prophylaxis, single-dose and multidose groups, respe
ctively, developed urinary tract infection in the immediate post-opera
tive period. There were significantly fewer febrile episodes and fewer
prescriptions for alternative antibiotics in the ceftazidime-treated
groups. Four men developed peri-operative septicaemia and all were in
the no-prophylaxis group. We conclude that patients, even those with c
ulture-negative urine pre-operatively, benefit from antibiotic prophyl
axis and that antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered for all men
undergoing prostatic surgery as a routine procedure.