[Should preventive antibiotics be prescribed in surgery of the appendix, biliary tract, stomach and duodenum?]

Most infections occurring after biliary or gastrointestinal surgery are caused by dissemination of organisms present in the lumen of the biliary or the gastrointestinal tract at the time of operation. Randomized prospective studies have been performed with antibiotics active against organisms usually found in wound infections. Results have shown that cephalosporin, lincosamide and imidazole in appendicectomy, aminoside, cephalosporin, lincosamide and sulfamide in biliary surgery, and cephalosporin in gastro-duodenal surgery decreased wound infections. These results and prediction of wound sepsis following operations suggest a discriminate use of antibiotic prophylaxis in appendicectomy, gastro-duodenal and biliary tract surgery.