The "Mannit-Ceftriaxon" preparation for elective colorectal surgery.

Authors report their experiences with evaluating the clinical course of 45 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Patients were divided into three groups, depending on the type and method of preparation to operation. The 140 patients in the first group received according to the "traditional" preparation purgatives, enemas, and mycerine + metronidazole prophylaxis. The preparation of the 160 patients involved in the second group was performed by giving mannit solution (10%) orally 12 hours prior to surgery, and a single dose of 2 g ceftriaxon (Rocephin, Hoffman-La Roche) intravenously 2 hours preoperatively. The preparation for the 150 patients enrolled into the third group was done also by giving mannit solution orally, and for antibiotic prophylaxis 2 g ceftriaxon was given intravenously as in the second group, but an additional 500 mg metronidazole was also given at the same time as the ceftriaxon intravenously. The evaluation of the cases proves, that the mannit + ceftriaxon method warrants satisfactory protection for colorectal surgery, and the necessary time interval is only 12 hours. The rate of septic complications and septic death was higher in the first, traditionally pretreated group, than in the other two. The CTX + metronidazole combination used in the third group was not superior to the administration of ceftriaxon alone.