A randomized controlled trial of a short course of cephaloridine in the prevention of infection after abdominal hysterectomy.

One hundred patients took part in a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of three 1 g doses of cephaloridine in preventing infection after abdominal hysterectomy. The first dose was given as an intravenous bolus at the commencement of surgery and the second and third as intramuscular injections 6 and 12 hours later. Given in this way, cephaloridine was found to be very effective in preventing febrile morbidity, abdominal wound infection and urinary tract infection. It was less effective in preventing pelvic wound infection and postoperative colonization of the vagina with Escherichia coli.