Intraincisional antibiotic in addition to systemic antibiotic treatment fails to reduce wound infection rates in contaminated abdominal surgery. A controlled clinical trial.

Author(s): Moesgaard F, Nielsen ML, Hjortrup A, Kjersgaard P, Sorensen C, Larsen PN, Hoffmann S

Affiliation(s): Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Publication date & source: 1989-01, Dis Colon Rectum., 32(1):36-8.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

One hundred ninety patients with peritonitis at the time of abdominal surgery were allocated at random to systemic antibiotic treatment alone or systemic antibiotic treatment combined with topical application of antibiotics in the wound at the time of wound closure. The overall wound infection rate was 17 percent without significant difference between the two treatment groups (P greater than 0.80).