Use of a topical triple-antibiotic spray to reduce morbidity from pelvic infection after gynecologic operations

To study the effect of a topical antibiotic spray in reducing postoperative morbidity when used during surgery, a randomized, double-blind study was done on 150 women who had a vaginal hysterectomy with or without colporrhaphy. The spray contained neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B sulfate and zinc bacitracin and was used in 75 patients; a placebo spray was used in the other 75 patients. The antibiotic spray significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the frequency of pelvic infections postoperatively--14.7% in the antibiotic group compared with 37.3% in the placebo group.