[Antibiotics in laryngectomized patients: prophylactic use in the postoperative period].

Study of the follow-up of 43 laryngectomees during a 20 months term done at the Hospital de San Vicente de Paul, Medellín, Colombia. Twenty patients received prophylactically 1 gr of sodium cefoperazone each 12 hours for 3 doses; the other 23 were treated with penicillin/gentamycin after surgery, for 10 days. Sodium cefoperazone group showed an infection index of 16 percent compared with 65 percent of the penicillin-gentamycin group. Factors such surgical time, previous tracheotomy, cancer staging, radical neck dissection and radiotherapy were not related to the infection. Index 16 percent still is high and possible responsible causes are analyzed in the paper.