The role of systemic antibiotics in operations upon the colon.

A prospective randomized clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the role of parenteral antibiotics in elective operations upon the colon. All patients received a mechanical intestinal preparation, neomycin and erythromycin base orally and topical antibiotic administration intra-abdominally and to the wound at the time of operation. The patients were further randomized into three groups. One group received no parenteral antibiotics; the second group received parenteral cefamandole, and the third group received parenteral penicillin, gentamicin and clindamycin. One hundred and thirteen patients completed the study. The sepsis rate postoperatively was similar for all three groups. When oral and topical antibiotics are used in elective operations upon the colon, parenteral antibiotics provide no additional benefit.