Open AccessCefoxitin versus Erythromycin, Neomycin, and Cefazolin in Colorectal Operations
Author(s) -
Allen B. Kaiser,
J. Lynwood Herrington,
J. Kenneth Jacobs,
Joseph L. Mulherin,
Albert C. Roach,
John L. Sawyers
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
annals of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.153
H-Index - 309
eISSN - 1528-1140
pISSN - 0003-4932
DOI - 10.1097/00000658-198310000-00012
Subject(s) - cefoxitin , cefazolin , medicine , neomycin , erythromycin , anesthesia , antibiotics , surgery , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcus aureus , biology , bacteria , genetics
Perioperative parenteral cefoxitin was compared with oral erythromycin, neomycin and parenteral cefazolin in a prospective, double-blind, randomized evaluation of 119 patients undergoing colorectal operations. Patients receiving cefoxitin had a higher wound infection rate than patients receiving erythromycin-neomycin-cefazolin (12.5% v 3.2%, respectively, p = .06). A direct correlation existed between the duration of the operation and the infection rate. Cefoxitin prophylaxis was as effective as erythromycin-neomycin-cefazolin in patients undergoing surgical procedures of 4 hours or less (infection rates of 4.8% and 4.0%, respectively). However, for surgical procedures lasting more than 4 hours, 5 of 14 patients (37.5%) receiving cefoxitin developed a wound infection v 0 of 13 patients receiving erythromycin-neomycin-cefazolin (p less than .05). It is speculative as to whether frequent two-gram doses of cefoxitin given during the operation would provide prophylaxis equivalent to erythromycin-neomycin-cefazolin.