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A comparison of intravenous cefoxitin and a combination of gentamicin and metronidazole as prophylaxis in colorectal surgery

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Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 March 1984

Abstract

In a prospective randomized clinical trial 103 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery received either cefoxitin or a combination of metronidazole and gentamicin. Six of 52 patients in the cefoxitin group (11.5 per cent) and six of 48 patients in the metronidazole/gentamicin group (12.5 per cent) developed serious wound infections. Two patients (3.8 per cent) in the cefoxitin group and one patient (2.1 per cent) in the metronidazole/gentamicin group developed deep sepsis. These results suggest that cefoxitin is as effective as the combination of metronidazole and gentamicin for prophylaxis against serious postoperative septic complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Surgical Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, SO1 6HU, Southampton, England

    P. J. McDonald F.R.C.S., S. J. Karran & M. Chir F.R.C.S.

Authors
  1. P. J. McDonald F.R.C.S.
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  2. S. J. Karran
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  3. M. Chir F.R.C.S.
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Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02555666.

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McDonald, P.J., Karran, S.J. & Chir, M. A comparison of intravenous cefoxitin and a combination of gentamicin and metronidazole as prophylaxis in colorectal surgery. Dis Colon Rectum 26, 661–664 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02553338

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02553338

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