Prophylaxis with systematic antibiotics versus gentamicin bone cement in total hip arthroplasty. A ten-year survey of 1,688 hips.

In 1976, nine Swedish orthopedic departments started a prospective, randomized, and controlled study in which the prophylactic effect of systematic antibiotics (SAs) was compared with gentamicin bone cement (GBC) in 1,688 consecutive total hip arthroplasties (THAs). After ten years, 13 deep infections had occurred in the SA group and nine in the GBC group. The earlier reported significant difference at two and five years in favor of GBC no longer existed. No allergic or toxic reactions have been reported in the GBC group.