[Prophylactic antibiotics after transurethral resection of prostate]

We studied whether or not prophylactic use of antibiotics following transurethral resection of prostate (TUR-P) was needed. The subjects were 152 patients preoperatively passing sterile urine who underwent TUR-P. They were divided into three groups: 35 with no use of antibiotics (no prophylaxis group), 70 with one day use of antibiotics (one day-prophylaxis group) and 47 with use of antibiotics until pyuria disappeared (long term-group). The three groups did not differ in their rates of fever episodes (greater than or equal to 38.0 degrees C) during the first two weeks nor in the time of disappearance of pyuria. The no prophylaxis group and the one day-group differed statistically in their cumulative rates of bacteriuria (greater than 10(4) CFU/ml) on the postoperative third day: 4 patients (11.4%) in the no prophylaxis group and none in the one day group (p less than 0.01). On the 90th day, however, no significant difference was found in that rate: 22 patients (62.9%) in the no prophylaxis group and 32 patients (45.7%) in the one day group, 70% of the bacteria isolated from urine during the follow up were Gram positive cocci. The time to the elimination of pyuria was not influenced by the use of antibiotics. Our study suggests that postoperative antibiotics for patients passing sterile urine is not necessary following TUR-P.