The effect of the combined use of a clean air system and one day prophylactic administration of cefamandole in total hip replacement.

238 patients undergoing primary total hip replacement had on a routine basis both "clean air system" prophylactic conditions and a one day lasting prophylactic Cefamandole treatment on the day of surgery. All patients had a follow-up during at least one year; the follow-up in some patients was up to 25 months. Deep infections were not seen in any of the patients and E.S.R. returned to normal values one year after the intervention in all patients. Superficial wound infections were seen in 2% of the patients. One fifth of the patients had significant bacteriuria on the day of the intervention. This did not seem to have any implication. In our series both laminar air flow and prophylactic administration of Cefamandole on the day of intervention give an adequate prophylactic coverage to prevent the dangerous deep infection as a complication in total hip surgery.