Antibiotic prophylaxis in cesarean section. Comparison of intrauterine lavage and intravenous administration.

Intrauterine irrigation with a cefazolin solution at cesarean section was compared with intravenous cefazolin administration for prophylaxis against post-cesarean-section endomyometritis in a randomized, controlled, prospective fashion. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of infection between the lavage and intravenous groups. The incidence of endomyometritis was 37% in the lavage group and 29% in the intravenous (P = NS). Intrauterine cefazolin lavage is safe, effective, time saving and more cost effective than intravenous cefazolin in preventing post-cesarean-section endomyometritis.