New clinical data on the prophylaxis of infections in abdominal, gynecologic, and urologic surgery

Two dose schedules of the antibiotic cefotaxime were compared in a prospective, randomized 226-center study of 3,670 patients undergoing abdominal, gynecologic, and urologic surgery. Schedule A consisted of a single preoperative dose and schedule B consisted of one preoperative dose followed by two postoperative doses. There was no significant difference in the frequency of wound infection or bacteriuria between the two schedules. Schedule B was associated with a significantly higher incidence of postoperative pyrexia, further antibiotic therapy, local side effects, and extended hospital stay. One dose probably has less impact on the intestinal flora. Therefore, single-dose cefotaxime is as effective and less costly when compared with multiple-dose cefotaxime for common surgical procedures lasting less than 3 hours.