[Ultra-short and short surgical prophylaxis with pefloxacin]

A multicentre study has been done to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pefloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, when given intravenously for surgical prophylaxis. 440 patients (224 males, 216 females), mean age 51.7 +/- 27.3 (SD) years and mean weight 68.4 +/- 12.6 kg, were admitted to the study. The diagnoses for admission included several surgically treated specialties (obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics and traumatology, oncology and general surgery). Pefloxacin was provided in 5 ml ampoules containing 400 mg of active principle to administer by slow intravenous perfusion (1 hour) diluted in 5% glucose solution. The multicentre study was open and non-comparative. The physician could choose between two different dosage schedules to use for surgical prophylaxis. The ultrashort schedule consisted of treatment with 2 ampoules (800 mg), given in the hour before the operation (followed for 217 cases). The short schedule consisted of 2 ampoules (800 mg) given in the hour before the operation, another 2 ampoules 12 hours after surgery and 2 ampoules 24 hours after the surgery (followed for 223 cases). The prophylaxis with pefloxacin was effective, with control of the temperature, the ESR and wound healing in the post-operative period. The surgical wounds of 11.4% of cases (50/440) were erythematous and infiltrated on the 2nd day, and of 14.8% of cases (65/440) on the 3rd day, and then became normal on the next few days. 24 patients had infections after the operation, in 15 cases involving the surgical field (3.4%) and in 9 cases being infections of the respiratory or urinary systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)