[Epidemiology of postoperative infections in cervicofacial surgery]

Post-operative infections are studied about 150 patients distributed in five groups according to type of surgery (total pharyngolaryngectomy, hemilaryngectomy, bucco-pharyngectomy, cordectomy, cervicotomy). An antibiotic prophylaxis by penicillin G and metronidazole was prescribed for all groups excepted the last. Only sixteen patients (seven of whom in bucco-pharyngectomy group) developed a local infection, therefore these antibiotics are indicated until mucosa cicatrisation. Systematic bacteriologic study of cervical drains is useless because they are frequently positive with non-pathogenic germs and in case of local infection the responsible germ is different of the germ obtained by culture of drain.