Prophylactic cefuroxime in transurethral resection.

65 men undergoing elective transurethral resection of the prostate under the care of one urologist entered a randomised controlled trial using Cefuroxime. Patients were excluded if they had received antibiotics in a 2 week period before surgery, if they had positive pre-operative urine cultures or if they had been catheterised. 58 patients completed the study. One patient in the antibiotic group and 2 in the control group developed urinary infection. The overall infection rate was 5.17%. The control and antibiotic groups were comparable as regards age and the duration of resection. One patient in the antibiotic group developed an allergic reaction. It is felt that routine antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with sterile urine undergoing elective TUR is unnecessary.