[Antibiotic prophylaxis and appendectomy]

Analysis of clinical studies shows that a single preoperative systematic administration of antibiotics may reduce postoperative sepsis rate after appendicectomy. If the appendix is gangrenous or perforated, this therapy must last for a longer time and is not considered as a prophylaxis. In clinical practice, there are obvious advantages in the use of a single agent efficient against both aerobes and anaerobes. According to the literature, cefotetan or cefoxitin (2 g in adults, 40 mg.kg-1 in children) can be proposed.