Ceftazidime pentahydrate prophylaxis against surgical infection

One hundred and forty-three patients at risk of surgical infection, were divided into two sub-groups comparable as regards sex, age and disease, and both undergoing clean and clean-contaminated surgery, according to Altemeier's classification. Patients in sub-group 1 were given short-term prophylaxis with ceftazidime pentahydrate (2 g i.v. during anaesthesia plus 1 g i.m. after 12 and 24 hours post-operatively). Long-term prophylaxis with ceftazidime pentahydrate (1 g i.m. every 12 hours for the first five days post-operatively) was applied to sub-group 2 patients. In 67 patients (91.9%), belonging to sub-group 1 and in 60 patients (85.9%) belonging to sub-group 2, the post-operative course was completely regular and satisfactory with no temperature rising and no appreciable abnormalities in the blood chemistry test values recorded. Analysis of specific complications recorded in this study, showed a low incidence of infectious complications in both patient sub-groups undergoing antibiotic prophylaxis, thus confirming reports in the literature claiming comparable efficacy of short- and longer-term prophylactic regimens.