A comparative trial of cefazolin and moxalactam as prophylaxis for preventing infection after abdominal hysterectomy.

In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 208 women who underwent abdominal hysterectomy received either cefazolin (N = 108) or moxalactam (N = 100) as perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis. There were no differences between the two groups in rates of serious infection, minor wound infection, standard febrile morbidity, duration of hospitalization, proportion receiving other postoperative antibiotics, or rates of rehospitalization. Women who received moxalactam had significantly more urinary tract infections, 87% of which were caused by the enterococcus. It is concluded that perioperative prophylaxis with third-generation cephalosporins is not justified at this time.