Minocycline prophylaxis in elective hysterectomy

Minocycline prophylaxis was compared with a placebo in 126 consecutive patients undergoing hysterectomy. The double-blind nature of this study was guarded until the study was completed. Of 95 patients who had abdominal hysterectomies, 32.7% on minocycline and 39.1% on placebo developed infectious complications. Of 31 vaginal hysterectomy patients, 20% on minocycline and 37.5% on the placebo developed septic complications (p less than 0.05). Although minocycline inhibited B. fragilis and E. coli effectively, those organisms colonized increasingly during the postoperative period with similar frequency in both the minocycline- and placebo-treated groups. Minocycline did not produce antibiotic-resistant strains. In our study the parenteral and oral forms of minocycline were found to be safe, and vestibular symptoms were no more common than in the placebo group. These data suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis with minocycline is safe and well tolerated. In addition, minocycline is effective in lowering the infection rate in vaginal, but not abdominal, hysterectomies.