[Complications in pre- versus intraoperative one-time prophylaxis with cefuroxime after biliary surgery]

The trial was conducted with 66 patients undergoing cholecystectomy. At random, 33 patients received 1.5 g cefuroxime i.v. as a single bolus 20 minutes before surgical incision and 33 patients were injected 20 minutes after incision. The overall incidence of wound infections was 1.51%. In the preoperative group, there was the one wound infection and two patients developed urinary tract infections (incidence of infectious complications 9.1%). In the intraoperative group, one patient developed pneumonia and urinary tract infection and another had urinary tract infection. Wound infections did not occur in this group (incidence of infectious complications 6.1%). Patients with infectious complications had a longer operation time and a longer hospital stay. In conclusion, there was no statistically significant difference in infectious complications when cefuroxime prophylaxis was given preoperatively compared to intraoperative administration.