Prophylactic oral antimicrobial agents in elective colonic surgery. A controlled trial.

A controlled trial has been carried out in 50 patients undergoing elective colonic surgery to assess the efficacy of prophylactic oral metronidazole specifically directed against anaerobic colonic microflora in combination with kanamycin to reduce the aerobic flora. A control group received dietary and mechanical preparation alone. A significant reduction of both aerobic and anaerobic colonic microflora was achieved in the group receiving prophylactic antimicrobial agents, and this was reflected in a significant reduction in postoperative wound infections. 1 control patient died from Bacteroides septicaemia. No toxic or other side-effects from this prophylactic regimen occurred in this trial.