Effectiveness of two therapeutic antibiotic regimens in the treatment of serious post-operative infections.

A small prospective trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a single antibiotic regimen, Augmentin, compared with a combination regimen of cefuroxime and metronidazole in the treatment of serious post-operative sepsis. Both regimens used were effective against Bacteroides and other anaerobes, with a similar satisfactory cure rate and no serious side effects. Intravenous Augmentin was easy to use and the change to oral therapy was significantly quicker than in the cefuroxime-metronidazole treatment arm. No significant resistance or serious adverse reaction was noted. The majority of patients had more than one site of infection, making selective antibiotic treatment difficult.