Ceftriaxone single dose versus ceftazidime multiple doses in the prophylaxis of infection in colorectal surgery.

Sixty patients admitted to the hospital for colorectal surgery were randomly assigned to prophylaxis either with a single dose of ceftriaxone (Rocephin) i.v. plus metronidazole given 30 min prior to induction of anesthesia or with multiple doses of ceftazidime plus metronidazole given repeatedly every 8 h up to 24 h after surgery. The overall number of infections observed with the long-acting cephalosporin ceftriaxone was 4 (2 local and 2 remote), with the short-acting ceftazidime the number was 9 (5 local and 4 remote). Neither regimen was associated with adverse reactions.