Antibiotics in penetrating abdominal trauma. Comparison of ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid with gentamicin plus clindamycin.

A comparative trial of ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid with gentamicin plus clindamycin was conducted in 85 patients who sustained penetrating abdominal wounds. The antibiotic regimens were given for 24 hours. The overall wound and/or intra-abdominal infection rate was 5.9 percent. Patients who sustained gunshot wounds to hollow viscera were at highest risk. Infection developed in one of 53 (1.9 percent) patients who received ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid and in four of 32 (12 percent) patients who received gentamicin plus clindamycin. These differences were not statistically significant. These data support the use of short-course (24-hour) antibiotic therapy in this clinical setting and demonstrate that ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid is efficacious as a preventive antibiotic combination.