Infectious problems in elective colorectal surgery: a multi-centre study. The Norwegian Gastro-Intestinal Group (NORGAS).

A prospective, multi-centre study was carried out in 572 patients undergoing colorectal surgery to investigate the effectiveness of a standardized antibiotic regimen as prophylaxis against post-operative infectious problems. Surgical departments used a single intravenous dose of 400 mg doxycycline plus 1600 mg tinidazole given 1-hour pre-operatively or at induction of anaesthesia. Patients were evaluated clinically 3, 7 and 15 days after surgery. Analysis of the results showed that 18 (3.1%) developed surgical infectious complications. Only 3 (0.5%) of the 21 patients who died during the hospital stay or observation period did so because of septic complications. No serious side-effects were seen. Overall compliance rate with the regimen was 96.9%. There were no signs of declining antibiotic efficacy in hospitals which had been using this regimen for up to 10 years.