Perioperative use of ceftazidime as a prophylactic agent in transurethral surgery

Sixty-eight patients undergoing transurethral surgery were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of ceftazidime (31 patients) preoperatively, or three doses of cefotaxime (34 patients) perioperatively, as prophylaxis. In this study, only 1/20 male patients (5%), and none of the female patients, developed an infection. We conclude that single-dose prophylaxis, with a safe, broad-spectrum antimicrobial, provides adequate protection against postoperative infection in genitourinary surgery.