The use of metronidazole in the preparation of the bowel for surgery.

A randomized trial was carried out in 120 patients undergoing colonic surgery mainly for carcinoma. Sixty-one patients received metronidazole and Thalazole and 59 received Thalazole alone. Sepsis occurred in 8 (13.1 per cent) of the 61 patients who received metronidazole, compared with 29 (49.2 per cent) of 59 patients who received only Thalazole. Of the 8 patients with sepsis who received metronidazole, none had infection due to anaerobic organisms.