Prospective study comparing imipenem-cilastatin with clindamycin and gentamicin for the treatment of serious surgical infections.

Surgical infection remains a leading cause of hospital morbidity and mortality. We compared the efficacy and toxicity of imipenem-cilastatin sodium in 32 patients with that of clindamycin phosphate and gentamicin sulfate in 25 patients. In the imipenem-cilastatin group, 87.5% had a favorable outcome, with a 12.5% failure rate and 13 adverse reactions. In the clindamycin-gentamicin group, 80% had a favorable outcome, with a 20% failure rate and ten adverse reactions. Two significant superinfections with Pseudomonas and Candida were noted in patients treated with impenem-cilastatin. Each group had one case of Clostridium difficile-associated colitis. Cost analysis showed no differences between treatment arms, except in the appendicitis subgroup. For serious surgical infections, single-agent therapy with imipenem-cilastatin appears to be as efficacious as combination therapy with clindamycin and gentamicin.