Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Herniorrhaphy and Breast Surgery

Abstract

We assessed the efficacy of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for surgery in a randomized, double-blind trial of 1218 patients undergoing herniorrhaphy or surgery involving the breast, including excision of a breast mass, mastectomy, reduction mammoplasty, and axillary-node dissection. The prophylactic regimen was a single dose of cefonicid (1 g intravenously) administered approximately half an hour before surgery. The patients were followed up for four to six weeks after surgery. Blinding was maintained until the last patient completed the follow-up and all diagnoses of infection had been made.