Antibiotic prophylaxis in the surgical treatment of peritrochanteric fractures: a comparative trial between two cephalosporins.

In a study of 200 patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery, prophylaxis with either ceftriaxone or cefotaxime was equally effective. No patient developed bacterial infection, either systemic or local, during the first 10 postoperative days. In the 1-year follow-up period, 2 patients developed deep wound infection (1 from each group). Ceftriaxone 1 g was given once only as a single preoperative dose, whereas cefotaxime was, in addition to the preoperative dose, also given postoperatively every 8 h for 3 days (totally 9 doses of 1 g). Emphasis is placed on the practical advantage of the single dose of ceftriaxone, which facilitates nursing of the patient.