Single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis for patients undergoing extended pelvic surgery for gynecological malignancy

There is an increased risk of infection following extensive pelvic surgery. The incidence of infection following prophylactic single and multiple doses of antibiotics was studied among 116 patients before surgery to treat gynecological cancer. Patients were given a single dose of antibiotic administered in the operating room 45 minutes before surgery. Additional doses were given 8 and 16 hours later. Two types of hysterectomies were performed. There was no difference between the overall surgical site infection rate with either operation type (4.3 and 4.5 percent) or antibiotic treatment schedule. Patients that developed a hospital-acquired infection were more likely to have had hospital stays of longer than 10 days. A single dose of antibiotics was effective in reducing the risk of infection after extended pelvic surgery for the treatment of gynecological cancer. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)