Effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in mastoid surgery

This article describes a prospective study of the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in preventing infection following mastoid surgery. Seventy-two patients who underwent surgery for chronic middle ear disease served as the basis for this study. Bacteriologic findings from middle ear discharge, showing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, are reported. The patients were randomly classified into two groups, one undergoing surgery with preventive antibiotic treatment with clindamycin and gentamycin and the other undergoing surgery without antibiotic therapy. The early postoperative inflammatory complications are presented. No significant differences were found in the incidence of these complications between the two groups. In view of the results, the effectiveness of preventive antibiotic treatment in mastoid surgery is questioned.