Efficacy and safety of parenteral amoxycillin/ clavulanate for prevention of surgical site infection following abdominal surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of parenteral amoxycillin/ clavulanate for the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) following intra-abdominal surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: This prospective opened non-comparative clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand between 1 April 2004 and 30 September 2004. Prophylactic amoxycillin/clavulanate (Cavumox) at a dose of 1.2 gram was given intravenously to all patients who underwent emergency or elective intra-abdominal procedures. All patients were scheduled to follow-up visits at 7, 14 and 30 days post operatively for monitoring the occurrence of SSI.

RESULTS

Thirty emergency appendectomies (85.7%) and other 5 elective surgical procedures (14.3%) were performed in 35 patients including 14 males and 21 females with a mean age of 37 (range, 18-72) years. No SSI or drug allergy was observed.

CONCLUSION

Parenteral amoxycillin/clavulanate is a safe and effective antibiotic as the monotherapy for prevention of SSI following intra-abdominal surgery.