A controlled trial of different treatment regimens in patients with urinary tract infections after lower urinary tract surgery.

One hundred and four patients who developed urinary tract infections after catheterization for acute retention of urine and surgery of the bladder or urethra were randomly allocated to four treatment groups. Analysis of the results in 65 patients showed that co-trimoxazole and 1 g cephradine administered twice daily for 1 week were successful in eradicating the urinary tract infections in 93% and 88% of the patients, respectively. The same dose of cephradine administered 4-times a day eradicated 64% of the infections. In patients for whom no treatment was given, the original infection did not clear in 65%. Escherichia coli and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the commonest infecting organisms. The in vitro sensitivity testing of antibiotics did not correlate well with the successful eradication of the infecting organism.