CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS IN LARGE BOWEL SURGERY 1. EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF PENICILLIN ON INCIDENCE OF POSTOPERATIVE INFECTION

Abstract

Previous work has Indicated that 10,000,000 units of penicillin given intravenously immediately before operation reduce the incidence of wound infection In large bowel surgery. This has been Investigated further In a double-blind trial on 108 patients. In the placebo group, 12.5% of those who underwent an open anastomosis and 58.3% of those who underwent resection without anastomosis became infected. In the group who received penicillin, 8.8% of those who underwent open anastomosis and 12.5% of those who underwent resection without anastomosis became infected. Penicillin reduced the wound Infection rate in those patients who underwent resection without anastomosis, and this is statistically significant at the 5% level (χ2 test).