Wound sepsis after low risk elective cholecystectomy: the effect of cefuroxime

A prospective randomized double-blind study was performed to assess the value of a single intravenous injection of 1.5 g cefuroxime in the prevention of wound sepsis after low risk elective cholecystectomy. Wound infection developed in 10 of 81 control patients compared with 2 of 79 treated patients (P less than 0.05). Wound sepsis occurred more commonly in patients with infected bile or with a positive culture from a closing wound swab. Cefuroxime significantly reduced the isolation of staphylococci but not other organisms from the closing wound swab and also produced a significant reduction in wound infection in patients with sterile bile.