Use of antibiotics in the initial management of soft tissue hand wounds.

A prospective, randomized study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in the treatment of various types of soft tissue hand wounds. A total of 394 patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, those receiving cephalexin (250 mg orally q.i.d. x 5 days), and the control group receiving no antibiotic. Patients were followed closely during the healing phase of their wounds. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of infection in the two groups.