[Prevention of post-operative infection by using antibiotics of 217 cases of cesarean section]

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of local antibiotics irrigation with that of systemic antibiotics in Cesarean section patients in the prophylaxis of post-operative infection. 217 patients delivered by Cesarean section were randomly divided into three groups: (1) intrauterine and pelvic irrigation with ampicillin; (2) systemic use of penicillin+gentamycin (intravenously and intramuscularly); (3) control group: no antibiotics given. The incidences of post-operative infection for the two treatment groups were significantly lower than control group, and the difference of post-operative infection between the two treatment groups was not statistically significant. It suggests that administration of antibiotics either by local irrigation with ampicillin or by systemic using of penicillin+gentamycin are just as effective in preventing post-operative infection. In our study, 8 out of 10 of the positive cultures from the uterine cavity of non-elective Cesarean section cases became negative after irrigation. This implies that antibiotic irrigation has the effect of reducing bacterial flora locally. Two to three days after operation, the incidences of positive uterine cavity culture for the two treatment groups were lower than control group, but not of statistical significance. Therefore, it remains to be clarified whether prophylactic use of antibiotics can prevent the vaginal flora from ascending into the upper genital tract.