Effective perioperative prophylaxis with a single dose of cefotaxime in transurethral prostatectomy

In a prospective, observer-blind study, the authors assessed the efficacy of cefotaxime (2 gm IV) as auxiliary therapy to the currently used antimicrobial prophylaxis in transurethral prostatectomy. Cefotaxime was administered to 48 patients. From these, 188 blood specimens were drawn and eight blood cultures from eight patients were positive. From an untreated control group of 50 patients 196 specimens were drawn. Thirty-one of these specimens (from 17 patients) were positive (P less than 0.05). This significant reduction was due mainly to fewer pathogen isolates (1 versus 16). The number of postoperative complications was reduced from 21 in 15 patients to 12 in 10 patients (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that a single IV dose of 2 gm of cefotaxime protects against the immediate perioperative complications.