Phlebitis associated with the intravenous use of cephalothin and cephapirin

The frequency and severity of phlebitis associated with cephalothin and cephapirin was compared in a double-blind study in 82 surgical patients with 149 different infusion sites. After treatment with the coded drug products, the status of each patient's veins was evaluated daily by i.v. therapists. Cephapirin was associated with a slightly lower rate of phlebitis, but the difference was not significant. For both drugs, the duration of therapy did not appear to have an effect on the rate of phlebitis. Scalp vein needles were associated with a lower rate of phlebitis than plastic catheters, but the difference was not significant.