[Cesarean section in modern obstetrics and methods of prophylaxis of postoperative sepsis]

The author discusses the problem Caesarean section in present day obstetrics and points out that the percentage of Caesarean births has been unnecessarily increased. This justifies the term "Caesarean epidemy". In spite of discussions and recommendations it turns out impossible to cope with this problem, i.e. reducing the rate to 15% in these countries where it is higher. Methods of infections morbidity prophylaxis are discussed too, especially the peri- and intraoperative antibiotic application (PAP, IAL) as well as the inaugurated by the author in 1987 postoperative intermittent intrauterine antibiotic lavage (PIAL). PIAL should be applied in very high risk cases, e.g. severe chorionamnionitis or vulvovaginitis combined with PAP and IAL. The use of these methods renders hysterectomy as ultra ratio prophylactic measure unnecessary. It is explicitly stressed that there is no prophylactic method to compensate defective surgical skills or flaws in aseptics and antiseptics.