[Efficacy of antimicrobial prevention with single-dose ceftriaxone in urologic surgery]

One gm ceftriaxone was administered i.m. to 266 patients 1 h before urologic surgery. The antimicrobial spectrum and long half life of this beta-lactam make it potentially useful for prophylaxis. Its efficacy was determined by the incidence of infections and antibiotics required postoperatively. Postoperative bacteriuria was determined by two urine cultures: one at discharge from hospital or after catheter removal and another 4 weeks postoperatively. The overall postoperative infection rate was 9.7% and bacteriuria was 11.2%; most of these were asymptomatic. Antibiotics were administered postoperatively in 13.9% of the patients. The foregoing results corroborate the efficacy of this agent given in a single dose for prophylaxis against infection in urologic surgery.