[Pharmacologic prevention of postoperative cystitis]

For prevention of postoperative cystitis the authors tested currently used drugs which influence the adherence of bacteria to the urothelium, nitrofurantoin (FurantoinR), 3 x 1 tabl. per day and trimetroprim with clotrimoxazole (BiseptolR), one tablet in the evening before operation. They found that Furantoin reduced the frequency of the inflammation in patients subjected to abdominal operations from 12.3% in the control group to 2.3% and in those subjected to vaginal operations from 46.1% to 9.6%. The disadvantage of the drug is that it must be taken every day and that it is poorly tolerated by the patients. Biseptol is excreted more slowly and therefore 1 tablet before operation blocks the development for a maximum of 48 hours. In patients with abdominal operations the frequency of inflammation was similarly as in controls, 12%, in patients with vaginal operations the number of inflammations declined to 24.5%. Biseptol, 1 tablet before operation, is suitable only in patients where it is not assumed that the catheter will be inserted for a prolonged period.