Antibiotic prophylaxis in head and neck cancer surgery.

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial of cefamandole in the prophylaxis of infection after major head and neck surgery was performed. Patients were given the drug on call to the operating room, and again four and eight hours after the initial dose. Twenty of 25 patients were evaluable. Wound infection developed in five of nine placebo recipients (55%), and three of 11 (33%) receiving cefamandole. Mean duration of hospitalization was 91.1 days in the placebo group, 34.3 in the cefamandole group (p less than 0.05). The study was stopped because of excessive morbidity in the placebo group. Cefamandole decreases the duration of hospitalization following major head and neck cancer surgery.