[Prevention of postoperative complications following vaginal hysterectomy]

In a prospective study on infectious morbidity after vaginal hysterectomy we examined the clinical symptoms of an infection and partly also the microbial conditions of the vaginal wound. With a group of 49 patients without antibiotic prophylaxis we tried to find out if the type of vaginal occlusion might have any influence on the microbial situation and the healing process. The results of this first group were compared to those of a second group consisting of 31 patients, who had received antibiotic prophylaxis before the operation with a cephalosporin. Though it was not possible to make any microbial analyses in the second group, the clinical evaluation showed distinctly that antibiotic prophylaxis is an important contribution to the prevention of infections after vaginal hysterectomy. The careful consideration of septic-surgical precautions, however, and this was proved by the first part of the study, contributes as well to the prevention of infections.