ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Ginecologica 2006 April;58(2):85-90

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

A randomized study comparing amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with cefazolin as antimicrobial prophylaxis in laparotomic gynecologic surgery

Scardigno D., Lavermicocca T., Magazino M. P., Cazzolla A., Lorusso M., Vicino M.

Unità di Ginecologia A, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Generali e Specialistiche, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italia

Aim. The aim of this paper was to compare amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with cefazolin as ultra-short term prophylaxis in laparotomic gynecologic surgery.
Methods. A prospective randomized study was conducted to compare 2 antimicrobial regimens in the surgical prophylaxis of laparotomic surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to receive amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (2.2 g, group A) or cefazolin (2 g, group B) as a single dose 30 min before surgery. Each patient was assessed daily until discharge to evidence febrile status and the presence of infections at the operative site, urinary tract and respiratory tract.
Results. In the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (group A) and cefazolin (group B) groups, overall 346 and 352 patients, respectively, were evaluable for prophylactic efficacy at hospital discharge. Infectious complications were infrequent in both arms. Febrile morbidity occurred in 21 (6.1%) and 26 (7.4%) patients respectively in the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefazolin groups. Wound infection and urinary tract infection were also higher, but not significantly in the cefazolin group (1.1% versus 0.5% and 2.5% versus 2%, respectively). There was one respiratory tract infection (0.2%) in group B and no septic death in either groups.
Conclusions. Ultra-short term prophylaxis with both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefazolin is safe in elective laparotomic gynecologic surgery.