[Prophylaxis in prostatic surgery with aztreonam. Our experience]

Aztreonam is a monobactam antibiotic with a very specific spectrum of action for gram-negative aerobic bacteria. Since these bacteria are responsible for most of the urinary tract infections, we conducted a study to determine its efficacy in the prophylaxis and treatment of infections in prostate surgery, one of the most common procedures performed in our field. Thirty-two patients received 1 gm Aztreonam at the time of anesthetic induction and q 8 h thereafter to a total dose of 3 gm. Cultures were performed before and 72 h after surgery. Twenty-eight patients had no complications and a sterile urine culture or less than 10,000 colonies, 2 developed wound infection from Staph, aureus and 1 had more than 100,000 colonies of Enterococci in urine. The foregoing findings indicate that Aztreonam is useful for prophylaxis and treatment of urinary tract infections in prostate surgery.