Prospective randomized study of antibiotic prophylaxis for nonlaparotomy surgery in benign conditions

Background: Although postoperative infections continue to be a major proble m in gynecologic surgery, there is still no consensus on the efficacy of an tibiotic prophylaxis. Methods: This prospective randomized trial was conducted to investigate the prevention of major operating site infections after nonlaparotomy surgery, with treatment regimens as follows: the first group of patients received 2 g of intravenous cefotiam dihydrochloride (CTM) on the induction of anesthe sia, while the second group received 100 mg of oral cefpodoxime proxetil (C PDX-PR) twice daily, from day 0 to day 2. Results: Nineteen of the 207 patients enrolled developed postoperative infe ctions diagnosed by our simple criteria for postoperative infection. The fr equency of febrile morbidity was not significantly less in patients who rec eived CTM (9 cases; 8.6%) as compared with those in the CPDX-PR group (10 c ases; 9.8%) (p = 0.56). Conclusion: The administration of oral CPDX-PR (100 mg, twice daily, for 3 days) appears to be a safe, cost-saving, convenient prophylaxis which reduc es overall expense. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.