Prophylactic antibiotic wound irrigation in gastric, biliary, and colonic surgery.

Intermittent intraoperative antibiotic irrigation from the beginning of an operative procedure to its completion is a valuable supplement to hospital and operating room cleanliness and to good surgical technique. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study of 200 patients undergoing clean-contaminated operations on the gastrointestinal tract demonstrated a marked reduction in the incidence of postoperative wound infection and absolute prevention of postoperative peritonitis.