Controlled comparison of cefmetazole with cefoxitin for prophylaxis in elective cholecystectomy

Prophylactic antibiotics are given routinely to patients undergoing surgical treatment of the biliary tract to prevent postoperative infection if risk factors for postoperative sepsis are present. Cefmetazole (CM) is a new broad spectrum parenteral cephamycin antibiotic. This drug possesses a spectrum of activity against a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria that is similar to cefoxitin (CX), an antibiotic widely used for prophylaxis with operations upon the abdomen. In this study, there was a random selection of two patients to receive CM to every one patient to receive CX. The dose of CM was 1 gram given intravenously every eight hours for three doses beginning 30 minutes before the operation; three doses of CX were given intravenously, 2 grams every six hours. Fifty-two evaluable patients comprised the CM group and 26, the CX group. The risk factors for postoperative infection were acute cholecystitis (CM, seven patients; CX, one patient), evidence from imaging procedure suggesting need for exploration of the common duct (CM, six; CX, one), hyperbilirubinemia (CM, eight; CX, four), hyperamylasemia (CM, 17; CX, seven); age of 60 years or more (CM, six; CX, one), obesity (CM, 36; CX, 14) and diabetes mellitus (CM, four; CX, five). Operative bactibilia and the organisms were comparable in both groups. Postoperative days of fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees C. (oral) (CM, 0.83 +/- 1.20; CX, 0.58 +/- 0.96) and hospitalization (CM, 6.59 +/- 2.20; CX, 5.04 +/- 1.26) were similar. Postoperative septic complications at the operative site occurred in two patients in the CM group (4 per cent) and in none of the patients in the CX group (p = 0.4; N.S., Fischer exact test). These two antibiotics had similar efficiency in preventing postoperative infections.