Antimicrobial prophylaxis in vaginal gynecologic surgery: a prospective randomized study comparing amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with cefazolin

Abstract

The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to compare amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with cefazolin as ultra-short term prophylaxis in vaginal gynecologic surgery. It was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari. Patients were randomly allocated to receive amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (2.2 g) [Group A] or cefazolin (2 g) [Group B] as a single dose 30 minutes before surgery. Each patient was assessed daily until discharge to evidence febrile status and the presence of infections at the operative site, urinary tract and respiratory tract. In the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Group A) and cefazolin (Group B) groups, overall 88 and 90 patients, respectively, were evaluable for prophylactic efficacy at hospital discharge. Infectious complications were infrequent in both arms, with febrile morbidity occurring in 4 (4.5%) and 16 (8.9%) patients respectively in the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefazolin groups (p=0.016). Urinary tract infections were higher but not significantly in the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid group (6.8% versus 4.4 %), whereas asymptomatic bacteriuria was detected in 2.2% of the patients in both groups. There was no respiratory tract infection or septic death in either group. It is concluded that ultra-short term prophylaxis with both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefazolin is safe and effective in elective vaginal gynecologic surgery.