Preoperative preparation of the patients with carcinoma of the colon.

The efficacy of the neomycin-erythromycin combination as prophylaxis before operation for carcinoma of the colon (3 gm. of each of the day preoperatively, plus mechanical cleansing) was evaluated in a study of 74 patients for whom primary operations for colon carcinoma were performed from January 1973 through June 1974. Twenty three other patients received other preparations. Of the 74 who received neomycin and erythromycin, 4 had postoperative infectious complications (5 per cent). Of the 23 patients who received other preparations, 8 had significant complications (35 per cent). Although operability, age, concurrent medical problems and surgical technique probably influence postoperative sepsis, the use of oral neomycin-erythromycin combination as preoperative prophylaxis appears satisfactory for prevention of infection after operations for colon carcinoma.