Perioperative antibiotic prevention in colon and rectum surgery. A randomized study on the value of single dose prevention

: In a prospective randomized trial clinical results of one-shot-prophylaxis with Tinidazole (Group I, n = 50) versus 9 doses of Metronidazole (Group II, n = 50) as perioperative short-time-prophylaxis were compared. The rate of postoperative wound infections was not significantly different in the groups (p = 0,09). (1/50 in Group I = 2%, 5/50 in Group II = 10%). Postoperative complications clearly occurred less frequently in the first group than in the second one (12% versus 34%, p0,01). Our investigation indicates that prophylactic treatment with Tinidazole as a preoperative high and single dose is important for preventing postoperative infection in patients undergoing bowel surgery.