A comparison of intravenous and oral metronidazole as prophylactic in colorectal surgery

In a prospective randomized double-blind trial we have compared oral (n = 46) and parenteral prophylaxis (n = 51) with metronidazole in elective colonic resection. All patients received oral or intravenous metronidazole, together with oral neomycin. The overall infection rate was 11.3 per cent. Six out of 46 patients in the oral group (13 per cent) had a wound infection postoperatively compared with 5 out of 51 patients who received intravenous metronidazole (9.8 per cent). These results suggest that there is no significant difference whether metronidazole is administered intravenously of orally as a prophylactic in elective colonic surgery.