Ceftriaxone versus clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin for prophylaxis against post-operative sepsis in biliary surgery: a prospective randomized study in 200 patients.

A prospective study was carried out in 200 consecutive patients undergoing biliary surgery to compare the prophylactic effectiveness of ceftriaxone and clavulanate-potentiated (CP-) amoxycillin. Patients were assigned in a randomized fashion to two groups and received ceftriaxone (2 g intravenously pre-operatively), or CP-amoxycillin (1200 mg, to be repeated for 2 more doses in the case of patients undergoing procedures other than elective cholecystectomy). Post-operative wound infection occurred in 4% of patients in each group. Administration of ceftriaxone was associated with a lower incidence of post-operative pyrexia and chest infection as well as with a shorter hospital stay.